Food prices on the rise in Soroti

A visit by New Vision to Oparia market on Saturday currently housing former vendors of Soroti main market under construction indicates that food prices have increased compared to the past two months.

Michael Ojok, a retail shop owner said prices of commodities such as rice, sugar and posho are currently fair and low.

He explained that a kilogramme of rice currently goes for between sh4,000 and sh 4,500 compared to sh5,000, a month ago

"Sugar was between sh5,000 and sh6,000 but now costs about sh4,500 per kilogram, while posho goes for between sh1,200 and sh 1,300 compared to sh 1,000, a month ago

A 50kg sack of posho is currently between sh 90,000 and sh100, 000, a reduction from a range of sh130, 000 in a period of a month, according to him.

A Kilogram of Kasese and yellow beans costs sh2200 from sh1800 in the market, while in shops it goes for sh2400, black beans have risen to sh 2,000 up from sh1,800.

A sack of Irish potatoes costs sh100,000 up from sh80,000, while a kilogram which was sold at shs 1,000 is now being sold between sh1,800 to sh2,000 depending on where one buys from.

A bundle of collard greens locally known as sukuma wiki costs sh1,000 a bundle up from sh500. 

A kilogram of tomatoes and onions costs sh2,000 and sh2,500 from sh1,000 and sh1,800  respectively.

Juliet Apio, who deals in fruits at the market, said prices for commodities such as passion fruits and oranges have increased.

For example, a basket of passion fruits currently costs about sh40,000, compared to about sh30,000 three months ago.

Pineapple cost shs 2,500 to 4,000 in the months of June, July and August, before rising to sh5,000 in September and October.

Meanwhile, the price for red groundnuts has slightly dropped to sh3,500 up from sh5,000, while prices for Serinat IV remain constant at sh2,500 a kg.

The price of simsim has climbed to sh5,000 from sh4,500, an addition of sh500.

Prices for green grams also have also remained constant at sh2,000 per kg for the past three months.

A kg of carrots that was previously sold between sh1,700 and sh1,800 has climbed to sh2,500.

 Joel Epecu, a produce dealer serving his customer

A bunch of bananas in Soroti main market now costs between sh45,000 to sh50,000 up from sh25,000  to sh30,000  in the months of June, July and August.

Jane Arigo a matooke vendor in Soroti market blamed the hike in matooke on high buying price and transport costs involved in transporting it from Mbale to Soroti.

She explained that a bunch of Matooke that was sold at sh25,000 now costs between sh30,000 to sh35000 depending on where one buys from.

"The vendors who buy their fresh produce from Mbale are affected by the frequent breakdown of vehicles, which affects supply" Arigo added.

Joel Epecu, a produce dealer in Soroti main market said there was poor harvest of crops such as beans, rice and cabbage among others during the first season.

The chairperson Soroti main market vendors, George Eriebat said there is a general outcry about the high cost of food.

According to Eriebat , the hike in food prices is due to several factors such as low supply, poor road network between Soroti and Mbale and prolonged drought, which affected food production.

He anticipates food prices to double due to low harvest in second harvest as a result of floods which ravaged the crops people had planted.