Food prices still on the rise

Jun 01, 2017

Despite the high prices, vendors say the week’s sales were good.

LATEST MARKET PRICES

Cassava

The root crop that is grown in central, eastern and northern Uganda is slowly going out of season.

At Kalerwe market a sack from Zirobwe that used to cost sh40,000 from Zirobwe in April had shot up to sh50,000 by May and two weeks back reached sh55,000.

Some five or six small pieces of cassava that used to cost sh1,000 had doubled to sh2,000.

The price was slightly lower at Owino market. A sack of cassava from Busitema cost between sh45,000 and sh40,000. Four big pieces of cassava cost sh2,000 there.

Despite the high prices, vendors say the past week's sales were good. They attribute this to the hike in matooke prices that have now forced many customers to opt for cassava.

Sweet potatoes

Even the price of sweet potatoes, which was previously usually stable, has gone up.

 

The smallest heap (omulengo) that used to cost between sh1,000-sh1,500 is now selling at between sh2,000-sh3,000 in most markets in the city. In some places it has gone up to sh4,000-sh5,000.

Most of the sweet potatoes being sold at Nakawa and Kireka markets come from Teso, Mukono and Mpigi. At Nakawa a heap of seven big-size sweet potatoes from Mukono were selling at sh5,000 while the potatoes from Teso were going for sh3,000.

At Nakasero market, a heap of five big sweet potatoes from Busoga or Kabale were selling at sh5,000, while a heap of four medium-size sweet potatoes were selling at sh4,000.

At Kibuye and Kalerwe markets a heap of five big pieces was at sh3,000-sh4,000.

Traders blamed the increase on the rise in the price of fuel and the recent long drought in some places.

A 100kg bag of sweet potatoes that was selling at sh150,000 a few months ago is now selling at sh180,000.

 

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