Kenyans will now have to dig deeper into their pockets to buy local delicacy, boiled eggs garnished with salsa, popularly known as mayai pasua after the price jumped from Ksh20 to Ksh25.
This is after the cost of eggs increased by 25 per cent in the month of March. A tray of eggs will now cost an average of Ksh450 instead of Ksh360.
According to Zachary Munyambu of Kiambu Farmers Cooperative Society, the spike in the price is attributed to a national shortage in the commodity due to the rising cost of production.
Munyambu explained that poultry farmers were ditching the venture owing to increased cost of production occasioned by the rise in cost of animal feeds in the country.
"Poultry farming in the country has now become unsustainable, farmers have closed shop, cutting down the supplies of eggs in the market," Munyambu remarked.
His comments comments were echoed by traders who claimed that there was a dip in supply across the country. They noted that a spike in fuel prices is also a key factor in the price hike.
Animal feeds, a necessity in poultry farming has become expensive for farmers. For instance, layers mash now retails at Ksh3,100 per 50-kilogramme-bag, up from Ksh2500.
The spike is attributed to the scarcity of yellow maize, which is mainly imported from Ukraine, which is at war with Russia.
In addition, the dip in supply of eggs has been linked to tightening of the noose on the import of eggs from Uganda, from where most suppliers source the commodity from. The new measures were put in place to stop the smuggling of eggs into the country.
According to the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) Kenya produces 1.6 billion eggs annually, which is still not able to meet the demands. Save for being used in homes, it is a key ingredient in the food and beverage industry.
Apart from eggs, several basic commodities including cooking oil and milk have seen up upward trajectory in their prices. This has forced a number of businesses close shop due to unsustainable profit margins.
On Tuesday, March 15, viral 'chipo mwitu' vendor Bevalyne Kwamboka announced that she will be temporarily suspending her business citing high the cost of potatoes and cooking oil.
