During the week, the regional border post market in Busia offered to purchase maize at Ksh.26/kg (Ugx.850). This was after the newly harvested maize had gradually registered a slight increment in price from Ksh.25/kg (Ugx.830) good quality maize. The transit traders delivering grain and other commodities from the western region, could not afford to invest in delivering to Busia when the grain price in Kampala was the same in Busia. Most transit traders offloaded the maize grain in Kampala reducing supply delivered to Busia.
The maize quality apparently is not yet good since most of the supply was recently harvested and with high moisture content. In Kampala, the maize price fluctuated between Ugx.800/kg and Ugx.830/kg given the day’s supply. Transit traders noted that the supply of maize grain this season would be short-lived since it was affected by extended dry spells. Old stocked maize cost Ugx.900/kg at wholesale in Kisenyi. Maize bran cost Ugx.600/kg while good quality posho cost Ugx.1500/kg.
Elsewhere, slow trading was registered for maize grain since some areas had not harvested their grain and those that had just harvested still had their maize wet. In Mubende, maize cost Ugx.700-780/kg and registered very low demand. In Kyankwanzi, newly harvested maize was offered in Ugx.650/kg while in Lira maize cost Ugx.800-900/kg indicating that the first season crop was not yet on the market. There was also no mention of the maize price in Masindi because the first season crop is not yet ready for the market.
Low commodity trading was registered in Kabale especially for beans. Mixed beans and climbing beans cost Ugx.1000/kg and Ugx.2000/kg respectively. Other bean varieties were much cheaper. The supply for beans to Busia regional border market had declined during the course of the week because of fluctuating prices. Nambale beans were offered between Ksh.55-64/kg (Ugx.1804-2099) while Yellow beans, short Nambale, Army green beans and Sugar beans all fluctuated between Ksh.65-67/kg(Ugx.2132-2197). Rosecoco cost Ksh.66/kg(Ugx.2164). The volume delivered to this market declined from the previous week’s 1500-1700MT to only above 800MT daily.
It was noted that most of the supply intended for Busia was cut off at Kampala because of increment in prices at Kampala. The produce market in Busia has since revised prices high to create demand for beans. Most of the produce supply was registered from Kyegegwa, Kabarole, Kakumiro and Kagadi.
Millet supply was low from the Ugandan side creating a lot of demand for the crop and supply from Ethiopia. However, millet from Ethiopia has no yeast because it is dried electronically therefore traders adulterated it with the little supply from Uganda and offered at Ksh.104/kg(Ugx.3411) at Busia. The newly harvested supply was offered to the market at KSh.84-85/kg(Ugx.2755-2788). Pure good quality millet cost KSh.120/kg(Ugx.3936). Other commodities demanded at Busia included sorghum at Ksh.39-40/kg(Ugx.1279-1312) mainly from Serere and Kumi. Dry cassava cost Ksh.18/kg(Ugx.590) while groundnuts and Simsim cost the same price of Ksh.141/kg(Ugx.4624).
In Kampala, a slight increment was registered compared to the previous week’s prices. In Kabale, mixed beans cost Ugx.1300/kg while climbing beans cost Ugx.2000/kg. In Northern Uganda particularly Lira, beans cost Ugx.2000-2400/kg. In Masindi, Nambaale and Yellow beans cost Ugx.1400/kg. Prices were similar in Mubende at Ugx.1000-1800/kg. Iganga offered beans at Ugx.2200-2500/kg.
Commodity supply for most staples is expected to increase as the harvest season enrolls but one thing is for sure, the yield will not be as much as the previous year.
Download this week’s Price Outlook (5th – 10thJuly) for the detailed prices of individual commodities in the different regions of Uganda.