Kenya: Vegetable Prices Drop to Sh3 a Kilo in Nyeri as Schools Remain Closed

Published 2020년 8월 20일

Tridge summary

Farmers in Kenya are experiencing significant losses due to the prolonged closure of schools during the Covid-19 pandemic. These farmers, who typically sell their vegetables to schools, have seen their profits plummet with the price of a kilo of vegetables dropping from Sh25 to Sh3. The perishable nature of the vegetables has forced many farmers to feed them to livestock or share them with neighbors. The market is saturated with a surplus of green collards and cabbages due to favorable weather conditions and a ban on gatherings, further reducing demand. As a result, farmers are struggling to sell their produce and are unsure when schools will reopen and when they will start making a profit.

Disclaimer:The above summary was generated by Tridge's proprietary AI model for informational purposes.

Original content

Farmers, who supplied schools with vegetables, are counting losses as learners remain at home due to Covid-19 restrictions. It is a deep cut for the farmers who sell a kilo for Sh3, a sharp drop from Sh25 pre-Covid. Worse, the stocks are fed to livestock due to perishability. Schools were closed mid-March when Kenya reported its first case of the virus that has now infected more than 30,000 in the country. Many farmers are now losing hope since it is unclear when the curve will flatten and schools reopen. "I thought that schools would reopen sooner but the pandemic has persisted, dimming my hopes of making profits from my farming," said Ben Nyaga, a farmer in Mathira. There is a glut of green collards and cabbages in Nyeri market due to a favourable weather. "My second shot was the market but there is glut because too many grocery farmers have no market," said Mr Nyaga. The ban on gatherings like funerals has also reduced demand, they said. "We are selling a small portion of the ...

Source: All Africa