Maize and wheat flour are among the food items whose prices reduced in September, according to the latest report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
In its inflation data for September, prices of a kilogram of maize flour (loose) decreased by 6.7 per cent while a 2 kilogram pack of wheat flour reduced by 3.6 per cent.
The prices of maize grain (1 kg) and fortified maize flour (2kgs) reduced at a percentage of 5.4 per cent and 6 per cent respectively.
Apart from basic food items, electricity (200 Kilowatts) and (50 Kilowatts) also recorded a price decrease by 2.1 per cent and 2.5 per cent respectively in comparison to rates recorded in August.
Items Whose Prices Increased
Despite a number of food items recording a price decrease, 4 basic commodities registered an increase with potatoes featuring at the top of the list with an 18.4 per cent rise.
Cabbages, kale and tomatoes also recorded a price increase at 7.4 per cent, 4.2 per cent and tomatoes 1.3 per cent respectively.
Notably, the prices of a litre of fuel also recorded a sharp increase with kerosene (19.4 per cent), diesel (11.8 per cent) and petrol (8.7 per cent).
Kenyans living in bedsitters also had to pay more by 0.2 per cent while a 13kg of Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder recorded 3.2 per cent price increase.
The data highlights the high cost of living which Kenyans are grappling with at the moment. According to the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), the inflation rate stands at eight per cent.
This, according to Treasury, is exercabated by the high cost of fuel. Food prices are also affected by seasonal weather conditions and currency depreciation.
