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According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the average price of one kilogram of onion in March last year was KSh 101.10 compared to KSh 167.28 in March 2024 and KSh 150.63 in February this year.
Prices of onions are expected to remain higher in Kenya in the month of April despite an increase in supply harvesting which peaked in March.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the average price of one kilogram of onion in March last year was KSh 101.10 compared to KSh 167.28 in March 2024 and KSh 150.63 in February this year.
In the agriculture sector survey commissioned by the Central Bank of Kenya in March, 60 percent of respondents expected an increase in onion prices compared to 70 percent of respondents sampled in the February 2024 survey. The moderation in expected onion price increase during the March 2024 survey was partly informed by an expected increase in supply as a harvest of onions peaked last month.
However, the impact of the harvest on prices was expected to be dampened by the high demand for onions both locally and within the East Africa Community (EAC) region, particularly Tanzania, Uganda, and South Sudan. Traditionally, Tanzania has been an important source of onions, complementing local supply.
CBK’s agriculture sector survey conducted from March 11 – 15, 2024 sought to obtain indicative information on recent trends and market expectations of prices and output of key agricultural commodities to inform monetary policy.
The survey also sought information on factors affecting agricultural production, marketing, and sale of farm produce; access to farm inputs and credit facilities as well as proposals on how to improve agricultural production. Based on the findings of the survey, prices of potatoes and tomatoes were expected to increase in the next month, though at a subdued pace relative to the expected increase in the February 2024 survey.
Expectations about prices of cooking oil and cooking fat point to a marginal decline in April 2024. This was informed by the observed easing of international prices of edible oils following the recovery of global palm oil production and the relatively stronger Kenya shilling in March 2024.
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The price of processed and unprocessed milk is expected to remain stable, supported by increased pasture resulting from favorable rainfall. Price expectations for vegetable items including kales/sukuma wiki, cabbages, spinach, and traditional vegetables in the March 2024 survey were not significantly different from the February 2024 survey. The weather conditions have been favorable for growing fresh vegetables.
