Feast on fruits, they are in season
May 29, 2009
DURING the past months, getting fresh fruits and vegetables from markets had been a nightmare. Besides the poor quality of those available, they have been too expensive.
By Agnes Kyotalengerire
DURING the past months, getting fresh fruits and vegetables from markets had been a nightmare. Besides the poor quality of those available, they have been too expensive.
But the good news is that fruits and vegetables are back in season and markets and streets are awash with them and at pocket friendly prices. For example, you will get a heap of eight to 10 mangoes for as little as sh500 and a heap of 10 to 12 oranges for sh500-sh1,000 depending on their size.
Gone is the time when a medium-sized pineapple would cost between sh1,500 to sh2,000. It is now sh800-sh1,500.
Vegetables like cabbage, eggplants and nakati are also in plenty. Prices for cabbage range from sh300 to sh500 while a heap of eggplants costs between sh200 to sh500.
On the contrary, prices for dried grain and flour have risen. A kilogramme of maize flour, which has been at sh1,200-1,400, has risen to sh1,500 to sh1,600. Beans that cost 1,400 now require sh1,800 to sh2,200 and prices for rice have escalated to sh3,000.
Betty Nabwiire, a trader in Nakawa market, explains that: “The food stock is getting depleted and yet the new harvest has not yet begun. For example, the maize, beans and rice have not dried ready for harvest.â€
John Mutyaba, a trader in Owino market, blames it to the “back to school†season. “Schools are buying a lot of stock thus the scarcity and prices rise.â€
DURING the past months, getting fresh fruits and vegetables from markets had been a nightmare. Besides the poor quality of those available, they have been too expensive.
But the good news is that fruits and vegetables are back in season and markets and streets are awash with them and at pocket friendly prices. For example, you will get a heap of eight to 10 mangoes for as little as sh500 and a heap of 10 to 12 oranges for sh500-sh1,000 depending on their size.
Gone is the time when a medium-sized pineapple would cost between sh1,500 to sh2,000. It is now sh800-sh1,500.
Vegetables like cabbage, eggplants and nakati are also in plenty. Prices for cabbage range from sh300 to sh500 while a heap of eggplants costs between sh200 to sh500.
On the contrary, prices for dried grain and flour have risen. A kilogramme of maize flour, which has been at sh1,200-1,400, has risen to sh1,500 to sh1,600. Beans that cost 1,400 now require sh1,800 to sh2,200 and prices for rice have escalated to sh3,000.
Betty Nabwiire, a trader in Nakawa market, explains that: “The food stock is getting depleted and yet the new harvest has not yet begun. For example, the maize, beans and rice have not dried ready for harvest.â€
John Mutyaba, a trader in Owino market, blames it to the “back to school†season. “Schools are buying a lot of stock thus the scarcity and prices rise.â€