Tomato prices in Kisumu County have surged sharply following weeks of heavy rains, squeezing household budgets and pushing traders to the brink as supply of the essential vegetable dwindles across the lakeside city. A spot check at Kibuye Market showed tomatoes retailing at between Sh15 and Sh30 per piece, nearly doubling from recent months.
The spike reflects widespread disruption in supply routes to Kisumu, with traders reporting lower volumes from farms, rising wholesale prices, and slowing demand as consumers cut back on purchases. At the wholesale level, a standard crate is now going for between Sh7,600 and Sh8,000, up from about Sh7,000 to Sh7,500 previously.
Rains destroy harvests in key producing areas
Everline Akinyi, a trader at Kibuye Market, said the rains have severely affected supply routes into Kisumu, with farms in key producing areas experiencing heavy losses that have reduced harvests to a fraction of normal output.
“Most of the tomatoes are destroyed before harvest because of too much rain, and what reaches us is very little,” Ms Akinyi said.
To keep their stalls stocked, Kisumu traders are now sourcing tomatoes from distant producing regions such as Oloitoktok, Kimana, and Senete, with some crossing in from Tanzania and Uganda to fill the gap. However, the longer supply chains have driven up transport costs significantly.
Small-scale traders feel the squeeze
For small-scale traders, the situation is worsening by the day. Judith Aoko, who runs a stall in Kisumu’s Polyview area, said the price of a small crate has jumped from between Sh3,000 and Sh3,500 to about Sh7,000, forcing her to hike retail prices. She now sells a single tomato at between Sh15 and Sh20, but many customers are walking away.
“People are complaining and buying less. When they don’t buy, the tomatoes spoil and we lose money,” Ms Aoko said.
Traders who previously shared the cost of a crate at about Sh200 each are now contributing up to Sh1,200, significantly raising the cost of stocking for small-scale vendors operating on thin margins. Some have scaled back their tomato displays or stopped selling the vegetable altogether, redirecting scarce capital to other produce with more stable prices.
Consumers adjust household menus
For households in Kisumu, the price surge has forced difficult choices. Tomatoes, a cornerstone of many Kenyan meals, are increasingly being used sparingly or substituted with other vegetables. Market observers note that when tomato prices remain high for extended periods, family nutrition often suffers as households reduce their consumption of fresh produce.
The current shortage stands in contrast to just months ago, when farmers in parts of Central Kenya and the Rift Valley were grappling with a glut that sent prices crashing. That oversupply discouraged planting in subsequent cycles, and the heavy rains have now compounded the supply gap.
Weather outlook offers little relief
Meteorological forecasts suggest rains may continue in parts of the country, offering little immediate relief for Kisumu’s strained tomato market. Until the weather stabilises and new harvests reach the city, traders and consumers alike appear resigned to high prices.
For now, Kisumu residents are paying a premium for every tomato, and vendors are watching their margins shrink as spoilage eats into already expensive stock. The situation underscores the vulnerability of Kenya’s fresh produce supply chains to weather shocks, a reality that policymakers and agricultural officials have yet to fully address.
