Kenyans Face Fresh Pain as Spinach and Cabbage Prices Rise After Tomato Shortage

The prices of vegetables, including tomatoes and spinach, have risen, with Kenyans raising concerns about the rise, especially in tomato prices.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the Consumer Price Index shows that households paid more for key vegetables in May 2026 than in April 2026. The prices of tomatoes, cabbage, and spinach rose, putting pressure on household budgets across the country.

Overall, KNBS has reported that Kenya’s annual inflation rate rose to 6.7%, from 5.6% in April 2026. The increase was largely driven by food and transport costs, with vegetables accounting for a major share of the food inflation component.

Vegetables Record the Sharpest Price Increase

According to KNBS data, tomatoes recorded an 11.2% increase between April and May 2026, making them the most expensive vegetable within the month.

This sharp rise was the highest among all selected food commodities tracked in the Consumer Price Index basket.

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Compared to the previous year, tomato prices have increased by 45.7 percent between May 2025 and May 2026.

The prices of spinach rose by 5.2 percent month-on-month and 18.6 percent year-on-year, while Cabbages recorded a 5.0 percent monthly increase and a 37.8 percent annual rise.

Why Tomato Prices are High in Kenya

Tomato prices in Kenya have risen sharply mainly due to a supply shock caused by heavy rains, crop destruction, and transport disruption in key producing regions.

The country has experienced a severe tomato shortage in major markets after continuous rainfall damaged farms during the main production cycle.

Heavy rains flooded farms, destroyed seedlings, ultimately causing widespread crop rot during flowering and fruiting stages, reducing harvest volumes.

In Kirinyaga, traders reported that a crate of tomatoes that previously sold for about KSh 300 earlier in the year jumped to KSh 5,000–10,000, depending on supply conditions.

Heavy rains in the country also caused Flooding, especially on rural roads, and slowed the movement of produce to urban markets such as Nairobi, while high spoilage rates of perishable tomatoes further reduced the supply reaching consumers.

As a result, retail prices doubled in many areas, with some markets reporting a single tomato costing KSh 25.

Also, many farmers cut back production following previous market losses and price volatility. This created a supply gap that worsened the impact of the rains.

Household Essentials Driving Inflation in Kenya

According to KNBS, inflation in May 2026 was largely driven by household essentials, particularly transport, electricity-related costs, and basic kitchen commodities.

The Consumer Price Index indicates that these categories continue to account for the largest share of household spending.

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Transport recorded the highest annual increase at 16.5%. Fuel prices, especially diesel, pushed up the cost of matatu fares, logistics, and delivery services.

Petrol also increased by 8.4% month-on-month, while public transport fares, such as tuk-tuk fares, rose by 12% during the review period.

The housing, water, electricity, gas, and fuels category recorded an annual increase of 3.4%. While electricity prices in the lower household consumption bands declined slightly, kerosene (paraffin) rose sharply by 25.3%.

Food-related household commodities also contributed to inflation, with the Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages rising by 9.4% annually.

Staples such as cooking oil, maize flour, onions, potatoes, beef, and vegetables recorded steady increases. For example, cooking oil rose from KSh 348.74 to KSh 355.79, while maize flour increased to KSh 159.12 per 2kg pack.

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