The inflation of food prices has unceasingly soared over the previous months since the Ukraine-Russia war ensued thereby leading to huge food scarcity.
Food prices in Kenya have risen to the highest rates ever recorded as of October, last month when inflation set a new five-year high of 9.6 percent.
Based on data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has placed changes in the price of food or food inflation at 15.8 percent in October, the highest rate of food inflation from its available database.
It was during the month when the price of wheat flour set the highest annual increase at 40.8 percent ahead of sugar, cooking oil, and sifted maize flour.
A liter of cooking oil (salad) for instance rose to Ksh.366.48 compared to Ksh.274.22 in October last year. However, cooking oil prices have for example posted a 3.5 percent price drop from September when a liter of salad oil peaked at Ksh.379.84.
The price of sifted maize flour, tomatoes, and carrots has also softened month over month.
A two-kilogram packet of sifted maize flour costing about 180-210 Ksh in October has risen from Ksh 113.70 last year.
Despite the hope of a reduction in the food products costs, the transition is so minimal and at most times unimpactful. The prices are expected to soften even more as the year approaches its end since the new harvest is about to hit the market.