Meat shortage looms as festive season begins
County residents should brace themselves for an acute meat shortage in this festive season.
Traders across the city say they are not getting enough supplies to meet soaring demand for the delicacy without which Christmas would be miserable for many.
It is hard to get enough supply as slaughterhouses complain of a reduced number of animals arriving. Pharis Njoroge, a beef supplier at the Dagoretti slaughterhouse said the number of cows they slaughter in a day has gone down as farmers are not willing to sell now — probably waiting for January when they will need the money for school fees.
Njoroge supplies meat to various butcheries in Dangoreti, parts of Langata and City Market.
“I am forced to increase the prices because getting enough meat to supply has become a great challenge,” he said.
Hassan Mburuchi, a supplier from Kiamaiko — the goat slaughterhouse and market — said traders were facing a crisis because of the reduced number of goats and sheep delivered for slaughter.
“Most goats and sheep come from Garissa and transporting them to Nairobi is turning to be very expensive. This has caused vendors to hike the prices,” he said.
Hassan supplies meat to City Market, a few butcheries in the city centre, Langata, Umoja, and Buruburu.