Rising cost of Potato, onions and tomatoes to stretch household budgets
Crates of rotten potatoes at Wakulima market. The rot is based on the current glut in the market
Nakuru shoppers will be forced to dig deeper into their pockets this first quarter of the year as vegetable prices at Wakulima Market climb sharply, driven by weather changes and seasonal planting cycles.
A visit to the market by Mtaa Wangu reveals traders grappling with the effects of the dry season, with some commodities recording price increases of up to 100 percent compared to late 2025 (Q3).
The most dramatic spike has been in tomatoes, with a single crate now fetching between Sh 1,500 and Sh 2,000 - a contrast to November 2025, when prices soared to Sh 4,500 due to rain-damaged stock. Traders are currently buying crates for as low as Sh 800, but the glut has left many sorting through rotten produce.
“This is not the best time for us,” says one trader, gesturing at a pile of segregated rotten tomatoes. “During the rains, prices go up because of spoilage, but until it rains again, prices will remain fairly low since tomatoes require warmth and there's a lot of irrigation happening.”
With the current planting season underway, traders expect supply to remain high and prices relatively stable in the coming weeks.
Perhaps the sharpest increase has hit potato consumers, with a 10-litre bucket now costing Sh 600, up from Sh 350 in November - a 71 percent jump. The 20-litre bucket is currently retailing between Sh 1,000 and Sh 1,100, compared to Sh 800 just two months ago.
A trader arranges her potatoes at Wakulima Market on September14 which are currently shot in price.
The 85kg bag has similarly climbed from Sh 3,500 in December to Sh 4,500 now. Market Chairman Gerald Kilonzo expects this upward trend to continue until April as supply tightens.
The ongoing shortage of cabbages due to the dry season is pushing prices higher than usual for this time of year.
The cabbages section that has seen a rise in price at Wakulima Market on September1
A cabbage of medium size is now going for Sh 60, up from about Sh 45 at year's end, another change traders attribute to shifting weather conditions.
Onions have crept up from Sh 80 per kilogram at the close of 2025 to Sh 100. Currently, the 25 percent increase is attributed to changing weather patterns.
Meanwhile, the green maize section appears relatively quiet.
The green maize section at Wakulima Market that is currently struggling owing to the dry season on September14.
“This is often not the time for maize as harvests are ongoing in some parts of the country as farmers also are planning to prepare the land ahead of the rains,” notes Kilonzo, explaining the seasonal lull in corn trading.