Price of beans up

Jan 29, 2013

Allan Okello, a trader in Nakasero market explains that the rise of beans has been caused by the low supply of beans lately to the markets especially, yellow beans.

By Stella Nassuna

The price of beans is rising, traders in Kampala markets say.  Allan Okello, a trader in Nakasero market explains that the rise has been caused by the low supply of beans lately to the markets especially, yellow beans.

The supply is low not because it is off-season. However, Okello says He says that presently, there is a high demand of the yellow beans from the Sudanese traders.

Still, supply from Ugandan producers like Rakai, Lira and others remains low.

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.

Another trader from Nakawa market Sharon Wamala says 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 sh2500 and sh3000 retail price to between sh2800 and sh3300.  

She warns that prices are expected to rise further in the next two weeks since schools are set to reopen. Usually, there is high demand from schools, so the traders use it as an opportunity to hike the prices.

Most schools prefer buying Nambale beans, which lately, sells for sh2,500 per kilogram retail price. Previously, it sold for a much lower between sh2,000 and sh2,200 per kilogram.

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