Prices of dry beans rise to an all-time high

May 17, 2017

The rise of the prices of beans has been caused by the low supply of beans

Beans used to be one of the cheapest foodstuffs anyone could afford but this is not the case anymore.

Last year a kilogramme cost between sh2000 and sh2500. Now the same kilogramme costs sh4000.

Traders say they expect the prices to decline after the harvesting season, which has started.

However, if the current rains do not favour the growing of beans that were planted at the end of March and beginning of April that means the prices will not go down. 

Aisha Nakawoza, a trader in Matugga Market explained that the rise of the prices of beans has been caused by the low supply of beans lately to the markets especially, yellow beans.

"Though the prices of beans went up last year around October and November, they were never this high. Then, a kilogramme rose from sh2000 to sh3000", she explained adding that presently, there is a high demand for yellow beans from Sudanese traders.

The Sudanese buyers usually go down to Ugandan villages and buy the produce straight from the farmers' gardens for double the amount the Ugandan buyers are willing to part with. This leaves the farmers with no choice but to sell to the highest bidder.

"We still get people to buy the beans but the ones who would buy five kilos, now take one or two" Martin Muwonge, a shopkeeper in Bwaise said.

ellow beans in particular are in short supplyYellow beans in particular are in short supply.

"We buy the beans at a high price but the customers want to buy them cheaply" he said.

According to Muwonge they want to sell as fast as they can because when they overstay, no one wants to buy them because they are old.

Another trader from Kawempe Market, Ivan Senono, said to meet the demand, the yellow bean dealers have started importing the beans from Tanzania, which has forced the prices to go up from between sh3000 and sh3800 retail price to between sh4000 and sh4200. 

He warned that prices are expected to rise further in a few weeks since schools are set to reopen. Usually, there is a high demand from schools, so the traders use it as an opportunity to hike the prices.

Most schools prefer buying Nambale beans, which lately, sell for sh3800 per kilogram.

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