Tomato prices through the roof over rabid pest

The price of tomatoes countrywide has skyrocketed after most of the crop that was ready for harvesting was destroyed by Tuta Absoluta, a new pest infesting tomatoes and potatoes.

The migratory pest, also known as leaf miner, came into Kenya recently from Ethiopia, according to researchers at Egerton University.

Many families are now opting to cook their food without the tasty spice because of the increased prices, with the pest threatening to bring down the tomato industry that rakes in Sh14 billion annually.

At the Nakuru Wholesale Market, the biggest source of most of the tomatoes sold countrywide, a single tomato sells at Sh10, making it costly for retailers and end consumers. In Nairobi, small-scale grocers sell a tomato for between Sh15 or Sh20.

During a market glut, four tomatoes sell for Sh10, and two kilos for between Sh50 and Sh60 in Nakuru, while in Nairobi four tomatoes can sell for Sh20.
Experts now say that the migratory pest, which is destroying the crop at the flowering stage, has destroyed 70 per cent of the crop grown under intense irrigation in the Solai, Subukia, Ng’arua, Rumuruti and Rongai areas, leaving farmers with just 30 per cent, which is inadequate to help them recoup input costs and break even as the market is at its lowest ebb ever.

A researcher at Egerton University, Ms Lillian Jeptanui, says the pest is destroys the crop from an early age and even those that survive to maturity are infested by the pest’s pupae.

She said the pest has affected tomato growing in the seven counties of Isiolo, Meru, Embu, Garissa, Wajir, Marsabit and Nakuru the country’s largest producer of tomatoes, where over 70,000 farmers directly earn a living from tomato farming.

Ms Jeptanui said huge losses have been reported in the country since last year when the pest started attacking Kenyan farms, and now fears that the pest might spread to other tomato growing areas in South Rift Valley. 

A tomato trader at the Nakuru Wholesale Produce market Mr David Mochama said they are now sourcing tomatoes from Loitotok and Loita, which are very far, thereby increasing the cost. “The high cost of transporting the produce from South Rift, coupled with its current scarcity, is causing tomato prices to escalate,” said Mr Mochama.

“People are using fewer or no tomatoes in their food, while most have resorted to grating carrots in their food to give it colour and flavour.”

When contacted, Agriculture Secretary Mr Felix Koskei said Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) and local agricultural universities were working round the clock to find a solution to the hardy pest that is wiping out farmer’s fortunes.

Ms Jeptanui confirmed that researchers at Egerton University were investigating the pest with a view to finding an effective way to curb its prevalence, adding that “there is a danger that Tuta Absoluta is quickly spreading to almost all the counties because it is a migratory pest.”

The pest also affects potatoes but the effects are yet to be felt.
NO KNOWN PESTICIDE

Mr Francis Kamweru, a tomato seller said a crate of tomatoes is currently going for Sh6,500 up from between Sh2,500 and Sh 3,000 in April and May.
“As of now, we are sourcing tomatoes from Oloitoktok and Rombo in Tanzania; it gets to the market at Sh6,500 per crate,” he said.

A Subukia tomato farmer Caesar Gatimu said he and other farmers might abandon growing tomatoes as the new pest is wreaking havoc across the country, and given that there is no known pesticide.

“There is no extension officer to advise us on what we ought to do, and pesticide makers do not have a clue yet as to how to stop the pest.