Growth: Chwele Market offering services and products not found

Written by  Saenyi Daniel  Donkeys delivering fresh produce from the differnt areas: Mt. Elgon, Bungoma West, East, and South to the Chwele market.  As early as 4 A.M Chwele market –Kenya’s second largest market is abuzz with business activities.  Marketers are rushing in and out of the market in a bid to secure the freshest goods. Situated in Chwele town in Bungoma West district, Chwele market supplies different parts of Kenya with fresh food supplies at very affordable price. The market is situated at a central point to serve people from all sides of the country like Mt. Elgon, Bungoma West, East, and South. This is the major contributing to it being ranked the second largest in Africa. Being the second largest market in Africa, Chwele market lacks proper infrastructure to sustain the large scale business transactions conducted in the area. To counter the poor infrastructural short comings, the chwele business community has been forced to rely heavily on donkeys, carts and motorbikes as their major means of transport. The drainage system of the market is currently dilapidated and leaves much to be desired. The market that runs from the wee hours of the morning till late in the might is an eye sore since merchants have to trudge through thick mud while transacting business. However, the County Council of Chwele town is currently trying to solve the problem by increasing the tax levy that is paid by traders in the market to help supplement the renovation of the market to suit its international status as a business center. Recently, commodities sold at the market are experiencing a drop in the prices of different commodities, and many business people attribute this to the increase in their supply due to the favorable weather conditions. The prices of Irish Potatoes are now selling at Sh. 1500 per sack a decline from Sh. 3500, the price of tomatoes have dropped to Sh. 2700  from a previous Sh. 3500 per sack. A sack of Cabbages is has also dropped by Sh. 50 from SH. 500. Onions are now selling at Sh. 1500 from Sh. 3000 and Green grams have decreased from Sh. 300 to Sh. 250. The prices of beans have also dropped with Lwakhakha beans selling at Sh. 120 per 2kgs from a previous Sh. 160. Tanzania beans are also going for Sh. 120 per 2kgs, a drop from Sh. 180, Wairimu beans at Sh. 120 per 2kgs from Sh. 160. Some livestock have also reduced considerably in price with Sheep going for Sh. 4,800 from Sh.6, 000 and Goats selling at Sh. 2,500 from Sh. 2,800. Chicken prices have dropped by 50 with Cocks going for Sh. 450, while chicken are selling at Sh. 350. Despite major drops in prices, some commodities such as mangoes and oranges have steadily increased in price since they are out of season among other reasons. Fruit vendors blamed the high cost of living and scarcity of the commodity for the increase in prices. As the shilling has been losing its value against the dollar, the price of Mitumba clothing has drastically increased. A bale of clothes weighing 45 Kilograms has increased from Sh. 13000 to Sh. 15500. Buyers at the market were especially mortified by the steadily increasing price of maize per 2 kilograms that is now at Sh. 120 from Sh. 60. Speaking to West FM, a Chwele county Council officer Mr. Henry Wanyonyi, an increase in cattle price is attributed to the ban of the Pokot Herdsmen from bringing their cattle to the Market. He also added that since its harvesting season, most farmers use their farm produce and don’t need to sell cattle and this is leading to scarcity of the animal. Currently the price of Ox is Sh. 23,000, an increase from Sh. 17,600 and the Cow is going for Sh. 20,000 from a previous Sh. 18,000. A calf is selling at Sh. 7,800 from a previous Sh.6, 500 all because of the looming shortage in livestock supply.