Retailing of fruits and vegetables in Machakos County, Peri-urban area of Nairobi Metropolitan Region

Retailers of fruits and vegetables contribute to urban and peri-urban food security.  Neighbourhood, institutional, commercial and open-air markets are all used as channels for marketing.  This is a descriptive analysis of market gardens in relation to retailing of fruits and vegetables.  A number of crops are sold without any specialization, with the most popular crop selling at various distances.  The Time and distance differential model as well as the Cardinal Crop Market Theory are discussed.  The study confirms that the best-selling price is a major determinant in selecting the retail market.  

Key words: Retailing, Fruits and Vegetables, Market garden, Time and Distance model, Cardinal