There was more produce business registered at Mutukula Border post. Plenty of rice, among other items were imported into the country from Tanzania. Maize grain cost Ugx.930-940/kg after taxation at the border post while rice, though received in different grades, cost Ugx.132,000 a 50kg sack of Grade One rice. A 25kg bag of the same grade cost Ugx.90,000 after taxation.
It is speculated that had it not been the supply from Tanzania, the maize grain price in Uganda should have escalated higher than it is today. The first seasonal crop was highly affected by drought spells and insufficient rain distribution. This has resulted into higher grain shortage in the country.
The Tanzanian transit traders have found it profitable to deliver a number of food items including maize and rice but have also supplied groundnuts, dry cassava chips and beans. Apparently, the market is receiving plenty of beans supply from the current harvest, a situation that has scrapped beans off the import list from Tanzania. Tanzania is currently receiving Yellow beans from Uganda at a cost of Ugx.1800-2000/kg depending on the quality.
Meanwhile, the harvest of maize grain in Kapchorwa is underway and usually coincides with the Kenya-Kitali maize harvest. Currently, maize in Kapchorwa cost Ugx.800/kg.
Some maize was received from Kenya via Busia to Uganda reversing the maize trend to Uganda. There was no demand for maize at Busia border post which is the main maize regional hub to Kenya. Only 4-5 trucks of grain were delivered to this particular market indicating no demand in this market. Maize cost Ksh.28.5-29/kg (Ugx.906-922). Traders in this market speculate that there might be hunger in the near future because the expected grain harvest in January next year is not doing too well due to uneven rain distribution that might affect the yield greatly. Therefore, towards the end of the year it is anticipated that the country will continue to import maize from the regional markets. Unsorted maize was, however, offered cheaper on the domestic market.
In the production locations countrywide, the maize grain price continues to increase as lesser and lesser grain is delivered onto the market from the stockists and from the regional market. Maize was cheaper in Mbale and Soroti sourced from Kapchorwa at Ugx.950/kg. In Arua, some maize was received from eastern Congo via Bunya and some from Zombo district.
Plenty of rice continues to be delivered to the Ugandan market from Tanzania. It’s driven on truck trailers to small townships and transit traders have resorted to credit-supply in order to develop a relationship with the Ugandan counterparts. Although the supply is good, the quality wasn’t as compared to the Ugandan Super rice which has bigger grain and aroma. In the East, some supply was received from Pallisa and Soroti and parts of Mbale, however, the Ugandan Super Paddy rice cost much higher than the imported Tanzanian Super rice at Ugx.3000-3300/kg depending on the quality. In Soroti where harvesting is expected to heighten at the close of the year, Super rice cost Ugx.2600/kg while in Lira and Gulu it cost Ugx.2500-2800/kg respectively.
The market generally has registered plenty of beans leading to unusually low prices of Ugx.1200-2000/kg. The majority of supply was registered from the central western districts of Kiboga, Masindi, Kibaale, Kakumiro, Kagadi, Hoima and Kasese.
In Kampala, prices were rendered stable at UGx.2000-2600/kg depending on quality and quantity wholesale price. Other varieties such mixed beans and the inferior long Nambaale were offered cheaper at Ugx.1500-1900/kg.
In Kabale, climbing beans cost Ugx.2000/kg while Mixed beans cost Ugx.1200/kg. Other varieties such as Sugar11 variety also cost Ugx.2000/kg. Some freshly harvested beans were delivered to the market in Kabale sold in mugs. Kabale also registered harvesting of Irish potatoes at Ugx.130,000 per bag weighing 120kgs. Onions cost Ugx.2000/1kg.
Brisk business was registered at the regional border market of Busia where an estimated 1300MT of assorted beans were recorded in this market daily. Yellow beans were offered at Ksh.68/kg (Ugx.2162), Nambaale at Ksh.58/kg (Ugx.1844), Mixed beans at Ksh.40/kg (Ugx.1272), Wailimu at Ksh.52/kg (Ugx.1653), Nambaale long at Ksh.55/kg (Ugx.1749).
Other items demanded at the Busia border post included cassava at Ksh.28/kg (Ugx.890), Sorghum at Ksh.30/kg (Ugx.954), Groundnuts at Ksh.145/kg (Ugx.5247), Green gram at Ksh.65/kg (Ugx.2067), Simsim at Ksh.160/kg (Ugx.5088) and Soya bean at Ksh.75/kg (Ugx.2385).
Plenty of fish supply was reported from the fresh water lakes but especially from Kyoga. A kilo of Tilapia cost Ugx.8000 depending on supply of the day. However, Nile perch without the maw cost Ugx.9000-10,000/kg delivered to major fish markets of Busega and Bwayise. Fish traders, however, noted that the consumer demand had declined because some traders along the value chain lost money during the Covid-19 pandemic and left business. The fish season is on and plenty of fish was delivered to the market.
In the fresh market, tomato prices have been fluctuating due to unregulated supply. During high supply, a box ply weighing 100-120kgs cost Ugx.150,000. However, during low supply, the price increased to Ugx.250,000.
Download this week’s Price Outlook (25th – 30th October) for the detailed prices of individual commodities in the different regions of Uganda.