Nairobians warned of higher food prices
CBD.
Nairobians maybe forced to dig deeper into their pockets to buy food following the prediction that the coming rains will be insufficient for food production.
The meteorological department raised the alarm last week saying the rains will be below average.
On Tuesday the Tegemeo Institute warned that maize prices could increase because of a shortfall in maize output.
According to the institute, 28.8 million bags will be harvested during the long rains, a shortfall of 14 million bags.
In the past, such shortage has led to protests over food prices, especially maize flour, the country’s staple food in the streets of Nairobi.
In 2011, protesters were calling for a two kilogramme packet of the flour to retail at Sh30 at a time when prices had risen to nearly Sh150.
Nairobi County which relies on other counties as well as imports for all its food could be particularly hard hit.
In 2008, the government had to introduce a subsidised five kilogramme packet.