Structure and performance of formal retail market for bamboo products in Kenya

Abstract

In Kenya, bamboo is mostly found in Central, Western and Coastal provinces. It is mainly used in residential fencing, horticultural flower farming, handcrafts and minor cottage industry products. This study focused on bamboo market segments in Nairobi, Mombasa and Kisumu with the aim of addressing uncertainties in the market structure and lack of concrete information on market potentials of the products. A stratified random sample of 20 branches of major supermarkets (i.e.Uchumi Supermarket Limited and Nakumatt Holdings Limited) was conducted. Standard questionnaires, keyinformant interviews and participant observation were used to obtain primary data. Secondary data were obtained from International Network for Bamboo and Rattan database, conferences/workshops proceedings reports, scientific journals, periodicals and textbooks. This study revealed that most bamboo products are imported, a scenario that results in high product prices and low demand. Thus, the need to encourage domestic production of the products. Conditions of imperfect competition with oligopolistic tendencies characterize the formal retail market, hence the need to strengthen its competition through consumer enlightenment and information dissemination.