In the maize grain market, prices continue to increase in most locations given the fact that it’s off-season. Supply was registered from rural stores that have held on to their stock since the first season. Additionally, a lot of maize was imported from Tanzania into the Ugandan market. This has resulted into the major market in Kisenyi Owino to offer maize grain at two prices. Ugandan maize was considered of a better quality when compared to the Tanzanian grain at Ugx.1080/kg and Ugx.1060/kg respectively. Millers noted that the Tanzanian grain is lighter.
As the much of the crop continues to reach the market in Kenya, less will be expected to be bought from the Ugandan market and this situation has had more grain sold domestically. Slow trading was, therefore, registered at Busia and Malaba Border post terminals destined for the Kenyan market.
Newly supplied grain was received from Kapchorwa which apparently coincides with the Kenyan maize crop harvest. Some newly supplied maize grain was also reported on the market in Arua from Nebbi and Bunya. This explains the low price in Arua. Maize grain was offered at Ugx.900/kg.
Plenty of rice continues to reach the Ugandan market from Tanzania via Mutukula. Small consignments of different rice grades and in a range of units between 5-50kg bags were cleared at the terminal. Long haulers trucks loaded with rice have been driven all over the country delivering rice. This supply has heavily subsided the heightened general household food requirement. Tanzanian super rice cost Ugx.2200-2700/kg wholesale depending the quality which is comparably cheaper than the Ugandan super rice at Ugx2800-3000/kg wholesale.
Other locally grown varieties such as Kaiso, Upland, Sindane were much cheaper than Super rice at Ugx.1800-2000/kg wholesale. With the current high maize price, most households would fall back to rice consumption because it’s the cheaper alternative. A bumper harvest of rice is expected in the western rice growing area of especially Kanungu in Dec/Jan. Harvesting of rice has started in Soroti district and is expected in other eastern regional growing areas. It is also expected in the northern region although the harvest was affected by the dry weather.
Transit traders speculate that the Tanzanian import rice could reduce given the yield. If the harvest is short lived, then more imported rice will definitely reach the Ugandan market from our neighbors.
Plenty of beans on the market and more supply is expected towards the year end. Yellow and Nambale short beans were preferred at Ugx.2000-2200/kg wholesale price depending on quality. Mixed beans were much cheaper at Ugx.800-1050/kg wholesale in Kampala. Other bean varieties were offered below Ugx.2000/kg wholesale price.
A number of traders bought beans at Busia border produce market and approximately 1000-1500Mt of assorted beans were purchased daily at this market.
Download this week’s Price Outlook (1st – 6th November) for the detailed wholesale and retail prices of individual commodities across various regional markets in Uganda.