Market latest: Tomato prices drop

LATEST MARKET PRICES

By Ruth Nanfuka

KAMPALA - In and around the city, the price of tomatoes has slightly dropped after buyers endured a fairly long spell of high prices of the culinary staple.

The fruit, grown over two seasons (February-June and August-December), has seen its prices ease a bit.

If you stroll through Nakasero Market in the heart of the city, you will part with sh10,000 for a big bowl of the red delight while a medium bowl will cost you as much as sh7,000 and sh5,000 for a small bowl.

And for those on the lower end of quantity, four big tomatoes go for sh1,000 at this bustling market.

Along the streets of Kampala, like Luwum or Wilson, vendors who are ever wary of city authorities while on the job sell five tomatoes for sh1,000 while ten go for twice as much. Previously, you would get a paltry six tomatoes for sh2,000.

The ripple price effect has reached the outskirts as well. At Mpererwe Market, one big tomato previously used to cost sh500. But now, you will get as many as five for sh1,000.

At Kaleerwe Market, not far off, a big bowl that used to go for as much as sh10,000 a while ago is now at sh8,000. The medium-sized bowl of tomatoes that was at sh8,000 now goes for sh,5000 and the small one for sh4,000.

For the wholesalers, a box of the fruit costs sh350,000 in areas like Matugga and at Kaleerwe.