Prices of several essential items recorded a decrease over the course of February, a new report published by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows.
The report which reviewed the period between January 2024 and February 2024, listed several foodstuffs whose prices were reduced including; a packet of milk whose price recorded a 0.2 per cent decline while the price of carrots ticked down by 0.4 per cent.
A kilogram of beans also recorded a 0.6 per cent price decrease while the prices of a two-kilogram packet of sifted maize flour and fortified maize flour decreased by 1 per cent and 1.5 per cent respectively.
The prices of a loose kilogram of maize grain and maize flour decreased by 3.4 per cent and 1.6 per cent respectively.
Further, the prices of a kilogram of sugar and a kilogram of tomatoes dropped by 4.6 per cent and 5.7 per cent.
In terms of non-food items, the price of a litre of Petrol, Diesel and Kerosene all decreased by 0.5 per cent.
Additionally, the prices of 50 Kilowatts and 200 Kilowatts of electricity recorded a drop of 9.3 per cent and 11 per cent respectively.
Basic Items Whose Prices Increased
In contrast, the price of a kilogram of spinach and a kilogram of kale (sukuma wiki) increased by 3.9 per cent and 3.4 per cent respectively.
In the month-to-month category, cooking gas recorded the highest increase followed by spinach, kale (sukuma wiki), wheat flour, non-aromatic white rice, potatoes and beef.
The report also stated that the prices of carrots, sugar, fresh unpacked milk, kale, onions, spinach and mangoes increased consistently in the last twelve months.
Further, KNBS reported that the inflation rate dropped from 6.9 per cent in January 2024 to 6.3 per cent in February 2024.
This was attributed to three factors; the transport index, basic non-food items and food and non-alcoholic beverages.
During the period under review, matatu fares were hiked by 10.8 per cent, following the gradual increase in fuel prices.
Housing, water, electricity, and gas posted a price increase of 8.4 per cent while the prices of food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 6.9 per cent.
"The rise in annual inflation was mainly due to an increase in prices of commodities under the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) divisions."
