Abstract

Kale is a major source of cash for many households in Kenya. A study of households in Kiambu district revealed that kale made the highest contribution to household income among the crops. The farmers of Kiambu sell their kale either in Nairobi, at farm gate, or at the local market and fetch different prices. The farm gate price is highest when kale is sold in Nairobi, but only a small fraction of the farmers sell kale in Nairobi. This paper endeavored to know what influenced the decision of where to sell the kale, and why the prices were so variable between destinations. The results showed that the price of kale was influenced by the place of production and distance to a local market. The results further showed that the decision to sell kale in Nairobi where the price was highest depended on labor availability, the household’s wealth status and transport access to the market. Poorer households were more likely to seek higher prices in the city than the wealthier households. Improving marketing of kale could be a way of targeting the poorer households and improving their welfare.

Key words: Kale, market outlets, price, Kiambu.