The price of sweet potatoes has risen by about 21 per cent in the past three months, driven by high demand as Kenyans shift to healthier foods
The price of sweet potatoes has risen by about 21 per cent in the past three months, driven by high demand as Kenyans shift to healthier, natural food diets, according to Agriculture ministry figures.
Prices of the tuber have steadily increased to Sh2,785 in Nairobi and Sh958 in Mombasa per a 98kg bag from Sh2,310 and Sh725 respectively between September and end of November.
Refined foods
“The consumption of sweet potatoes has gained popularity in the recent past as consumers move away from the refined foods to traditional foods due to the promotion of the traditional foods and their high nutritional benefits,” said the Ministry of Agriculture in a report.
“As people become more health conscious, the trend in consumption of traditional foods including sweet potatoes is increasing” the report added.
The national average price of a 98kg bag of sweet potatoes mainly used as a breakfast snack was Sh2,085, the Ministry data showed.
Food and health experts say that as awareness on lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension especially increases, the popularity of traditional foods is expected to continue rising especially among the affluent.
The tuber has been finding its way to urban consumers as a breakfast delicacy due to its nutritional value as compared to refined bread and other foods such as mandazis (buns).
“The fundamental issue is that food inflation has been going up across the board over time and the cost of roots and tubers has been higher than that of other staples such as maize because they are not produced in bulk and are more labour intensive,” said James Nyoro, the managing director of global development group Rockefeller Foundation in Africa, and a food security expert.
“Their demand has been increasing especially with the higher class particularly because of increasing incidence of diabetes and other lifestyle diseases,” he said.
Mr Nyoro said the rise in demand for traditional foods is not as strong among the poor due to their relatively higher prices than comparable alternatives.
He said as incomes increase people move away from basic staples and spend more on other healthier foods.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture data, sweet potatoes are grown mainly in Nyanza, Western, Rift Valley and in some parts of Eastern, Central and Coast Provinces.
Total hectarage under this crop was about 61,000, producing 880,000 tonnes in 2008 with marginal changes in hectares from year to year.
“But there has been a steady increase in yields to due to improved farming practices” notes the Ministry.
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