Low quality maize grain imported from regional market | Week 16, 2022

maize

Less maize grain got to the market in Kampala amidst speculation and importation of maize from Tanzania. The quality imported from neighboring Tanzania was not good to warrant Ugx.100/kg less when compared to maize from within. The grain business is currently off season and the farming community continues to plant in different locations.

According to the Uganda Meteorological Authority monthly Climate Outlook for April, most parts of the country were expected to experience near normal to above normal rainfall. Apparently several production locations have reported receiving rainfall during the month of April. Planting is said to have taken place and in some areas it continues. Several maize production locations reported good maize germination especially where normal rainfall was received. A number of farmers planted maize.

Good quality maize grain from within cost Ugx.1420-1430/Kg depending on demand of the day in Kisenyi-Owino Kampala market. The grain was reported supplied from stockist in the productions districts distributed throughout the country side. Maize flour price rose to Ugx.2300/kg at wholesale in Kampala while maize bran to Ugx.720/kg. In Kyankwanzi/Kiboga, maize was offered at Ugx.1300/kg while in Masindi and Mbale, it was offered at Ugx.1400/kg and 1500/kg respectively. Transit traders in Masindi noted that they were ready to hold on to their crop until May in order to maximize profit from their stock.

Maize was imported from Tanzania via Mutukula destined for Uganda. During the course of the week, it was purchased at the border market at Ugx.1280/kg, however, supply increased and forced the existing market price low to Ugx.1260/kg.

Most transit traders at Busia cross border produce market preferred trading Tanzanian maize because the current price for Ugandan maize had risen too high. Only 50Mt of grain was reported daily formally via the main gate from the market. An estimated 150Mt of grain was traded informally via route paths to the Kenyan side indicating that several small piles/stocks were heading to nearby towns west of Kenya. Maize cost Ugx.1440-1480/kg (Ksh.48-47/kg).

Other commodities demanded by Kenyan traders included millet at Ugx.2657/kg (Ksh.88/kg), red sorghum at Ugx.1328-1359/kg (Ksh.44-45/kg), groundnut at (Ugx.4983) Ksh.165/kg, Simsim at (Ugx.5,134/kg) Ksh.170/kg green grams at Ugx.2627/kg (Ksh.87/kg) and Cassava at Ugx.1200/kg.

Beans prices were also increasing by the day in most major markets. In Kampala-Owino market, Short Nambale beans were offered at Ugx.3400-3500/kg while Yellow beans cost Ugx.3300-3400/kg. Kahura beans and long Nambale were offered at Ugx.2800/kg and Ugx.3000/kg respectively. White beans were offered lower at Ugx.2500-2600/kg in Owino market.

An estimated 300Mt of assorted beans varieties were registered via the main gate from the produce market in Busia to Kenya. Beans were demanded by a number of Kenyan traders. An additional 150Mt were traded informally via route paths to the Kenyan side. Yellow beans cost Ksh.99-101/kg, long Nambale at Ksh.87/kg, mixed beans (small) at (Ugx.1993/kg) Ksh.66/kg, Wailimu beans at (Ugx.2234-2265/kg) Ksh.74-75/kg, Short Nambale and Rosecoco at (Ugx.2869) Ksh.95/kg.

In the locations where they received some rainfall much earlier such as Kiboga, Kyankwanzi, Hoima, some fresh beans harvesting has been reported while elsewhere the beans are at flowering stage.

Download this week’s Price Outlook (18th – 24th April, 2022) for the detailed wholesale and retail prices of selected commodities across the various regional markets in Uganda.

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