Potato prices are spiking across Kenya, turning a once-affordable staple into a strain on household budgets. Many families who rely on potatoes as a daily meal option are now cutting back or going without.
What's happening?
Potatoes, long seen as a more affordable swap for ugali, are now too expensive for most households in Kenya, according to the Daily Nation. Prices jumped by 20.9% in the past year, with a single kilogram (2.2 pounds) costing around 119 Kenyan shillings ($0.92), up from 98. In many homes, that's not even enough for one meal.
Farmers said they're spending more to fight off pests, plant disease, and deal with weather extremes, all of which are driving up production costs. A 20-kilo bucket that used to cost 600 shillings now goes for up to 1,000 ($7.74). A standard 70-kilo sack has reached 4,000 shillings ($30.96) in some markets.
"This season, the potatoes were hit by diseases that we didn't even notice early enough," said farmer Kamunya Warukwaro. "By the time I realized, the leaves were already drying up. Aphids were also a big problem."
Why are rising potato prices concerning?
This matters because potatoes aren't just comfort food — they're daily survival for many families. Higher prices mean fewer options for large households trying to stretch every shilling. And when affordable staples become luxury items, the ripple effects hit hardest in lower-income communities.
"The fertilizer we got from the government was not good. It looked like it was mixed with 'other things.' It didn't help the crop at all," Warukwaro said. "And yet the price of fertilizer keeps going up."
Behind the price surge is a chain reaction: rising temperatures, bad seeds, and farming inputs that don't deliver. All of that cuts into yield, which shrinks supply, which raises prices. And it's not just potatoes.
Similar stories are playing out across food markets as warming weather patterns throw off harvests, from wheat in drought-hit regions to fruits and nuts facing pollination shortages.
What can I do to help keep food costs down?
Experts urge farmers to use certified seeds and rotate their crops to slow the spread of diseases like bacterial wilt — a soil-borne threat that can wipe out entire harvests. But for consumers, one of the best moves is to shop smarter.
You can stretch your grocery budget with a little planning and by leaning on store-brand items and in-season produce. Tips like meal planning, bulk buying, and cutting back on food waste can help households save a lot without sacrificing quality.
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Buying from local growers and freezing extras before they spoil can also ease pressure on both your wallet and the wider food system. When demand stabilizes and supply has room to recover, prices usually settle.
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