• A kilo of red onions in major markets within Nairobi is retailing at Sh170 and Sh150
• A single small size onion is retailing at Sh10.
Image: FILE
Consumers in Nairobi have been forced to dig deeper into their pockets due to an increase in the price of onions.
A kilo of red dry onions at Wakulima, Gikomba and Ruai markets is retailing at Sh170 and Sh150.
In other places the same kilo is retailing at Sh130. “I have been buying onions in Ruai market or Korogocho but this has been a challenge because either I get them at a high price or low quality. I don’t want to compromise what I sell to my consumers,” Rebecca Nyambura a grocery shop owner at Mihang’o told the Star.
She used to sell big and medium sized onions at Sh10 each but due to the high cost and unavailability, she is forced to sell the small sizes at Sh10.
“I have about four customers who order onions on a weekly basis and they prefer the big to medium sized onions. They had to cancel their orders because I could not deliver,” she said.
Mwangi Gikonyo, a trader at Wakulima market said a kilo of onions is now selling at Sh170 down from Sh180.
Gikonyo said he gets the onions from Kajiado, Naivasha and Nyeri.
He said onions from Tanzania that are expected in the market soon may bring the prices down.
Kenya National Bureau of Statistics consumer price indices and inflation rates for March says prices of leeks and bulb onions have increased by 11.1 per cent from February.
In February, a kilo of onion was selling at an average of Sh150 but went up to Sh167 in March.
This is a sharp increase compared to the Sh100 in March last year.
Timothy Njagi, a senior researcher from Tegemeo Institute, attributed the shortage to a lot of rain which affected production.
While the distribution of the long rains was good, the onion bulbs that had formed were destroyed.
In 2020 just before Covid-19 pandemic, there was a slight shortage of onions and tomatoes in the market but was short-lived.
KNBS says Kenya imports cereals, legumes, fruits, onions, potatoes and tomatoes from Uganda and Tanzania.
But most onions come from Tanzania, India and South Africa.
About 50 per cent of the red onions in Kenya are imported from Tanzania according to Food and Agriculture Organization 2014 report.
The Kenya Onion Industry Outlook projects that onion consumption will increase to 148,000 tonnes by 2026, up from 140,000 in 2021.
In 2021, Kenya was ranked 57th, behind Venezuela with 140,000 tonnes. India, US and Egypt ranked 2nd, 3rd and 4th in onion production.
Data from the Horticulture Crops Directorate under the Agriculture and Food Authority says onion is one of the most important vegetables in Kenya.
It is grown for its edible bulb and as a spice for foods when cooked or served raw.
Onion is rich in calcium, iron, potassium, vitamin B6 & B9, vitamin E and has medicinal properties.
Some if the common grown varieties include Dominator F1, Red Creole, Bombay Red, Texas Grano, Tropicana F1, Jambar F1, Red Passion F1 and Red Pinoy F1, Sivan F1, Russet F1, Red Cornet FI and Red coach FI.
Counties leading in onion production are Kajiado (Oloitoktok), Meru, Homabay, Mandera, Taita Taveta, Nyeri (Karatina and Kieni), Nakuru (Naivasha and Mai Mahiu), Laikipia, Narok, Baringo, West Pokot and Bungoma.