For the past two weeks, the retail price of Irish potatoes has been going up significantly.

This rise has caused consumers to review and adjust consumption habits with businesses that use them as raw materials such as restaurants reviewing food prices.

The consumers have expressed concern on how the prices of have gone up with current prices standing at prices ranging from Rwf 370 to Rwf 500 for a kilogramme.

The prices consumers say has led them to adjust consumption and have continued to rise despite sector efforts to ensure regular supply to curb price hikes. With regular supply, a kilogramme of potatoes is sold at Rwf 260 in wholesale.

"Rwanda being a free economy where the supply and demand forces are the key determinants, Irish potatoes are not exempt. The skyrocketing price is as a result of the scarcity of the commodity and irregular supply from the main regions producing potatoes (Nyabihu, Ruhengeri and Musanze)" Nzanimpa Theoneste, an Irish potato traders' representative for Kacyiru zone told Business Times.

Stakeholders say that this is evidenced by decreased outputs from the various production regions.

For instance, stakeholders say that in recent weeks, wholesalers have had to seek potatoes from other regions with some even sourcing from outside the country.

"The impact can also be felt in the sense that in the early months of April, May, and June in Kigali only, the consumption level was 600 tonnes per day but that quantity has fallen drastically by more than 60 per cent to just 240 tonness," Nzanimpa said.

Patrick Nsabimana a Kacyiru resident running a small food business said that he has had to cut production from using 40 kilogrammes of input to 15 Kilogrammes to adapt to the price adjustments and consumer trends in response to food prices.