According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, the inflation rate in the country rested at 6.8 percent as of September 2023.
The biggest contributor to inflation was food which took up 44 percent share, above the fraction of impact by fuel on inflation.
Rising prices of vegetables such as onions, spinach, Sukuma wiki and tomatoes have kept food inflation high.
However, there has been a notable rise in prices of eggs, which has had many Kenyans complaining.
Interestingly, the price of eggs is one of the main drivers of the rising food prices.
Also Read: Why Ruto’s Promise of Cheap Cooking Gas Remains Hot Air
How Eggs Affect Food Prices
Eggs are an alternative and cheap source of protein, especially for urban dwellers.
Currently, eggs sell at an average ranging price of Ksh 450 to Ksh 580 per tray.
In Kenya, a substantial number of people live in urban areas. According to a Statista survey, the share of urban population out of the total population in the country rose to 29% in 2022.
Comparatively, in 2021, the share of urban dwellers in Kenya stood at 28.49%.
Therefore, the demand for eggs is bound to be high, despite the hiking prices. However, the prices of eggs affect the prices of other food products.
This rise in prices has led to the increase of basic food products, including street food. Popular Kenyan boiled eggs street food has gone up, making it unattainable to a lot of Kenyans that previously enjoyed the delicacy.
Moreover, most manufactured food products use eggs as the main ingredient.
Consumers may, however, miss this as the ingredient labels do not directly name eggs as an ingredient. Sometimes, they use terms such as albumen (egg white) or livetin (egg yolk).
Such products include bread, self-raising wheat products, noodles, and spaghetti. Thence, the rise in the price of eggs directly affects the prices of these products.
Other Food Products that Have Risen in Price Due to Eggs
There are other products which, coupled with eggs, have led to an increase in general food prices.
For instance, the wars in Ukraine that started in February,2022 caused the hike of flour in Kenya.
Despite Kenya having the ability to produce its own flour, we import about 60 percent of wheat from Ukraine and Russia.
As such, coupled with the rising prices of eggs, the war helped raise the prices of baked goods including cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats.
Additionally, another ingredient that coupled with eggs has caused the price of food products to go up is vegetable oils.
Kenya imports over 90% of its vegetable oils. This costs the treasury Ksh 100 billion even though the country has the capacity to produce these oils.
Also Read: Report Reveals Top Item Kenyans Spend Their Money on
Vegetable oils include oils like sunflower and canola oils. They are a main ingredient in the manufacture of soaps, skin-care products, candles, perfumes, and other cosmetic products.
In addition, they are also a key ingredient in the manufacture of products such as mayonnaise and peanut butter.
Therefore, the rise in prices of eggs and vegetable products combined has automatically translated to an increase in the prices of these products.
