Groundnut demand and prices high

(Credit: Ruth Nanfuka)

LATEST MARKET PRICES

Groundnuts are one of the expensive yet affordable sauces in the country.

Alice Nambi, a retail shop attendant in Kanyanya, says: "Groundnuts remain on high demand though for the past six months the price has hiked."

However, at St. Balikuddembe (Owino) Market, the price is sh6,000 per kilo.

Usually, when the harvesting season of any food item starts, its retail price reduces.

This is because there is high supply with no corresponding rise in demand. Besides, the farm-gate prices are always low during this period.

The wholesale price of groundnuts for both the seed and ground form ranges between sh5, 200 to sh5, 500 a kilogram.

Julius Kabenge is a farmer in Buwambo Wakiso district. He says: "Ugandan groundnuts have a market across the border, say in Kenya and Rwanda, yet not many farmers have taken the initiative to grow them, hence increase in the price due to low supply."

The crop that takes four to five months to mature is ignored by many farmers.

According to Kabenge, groundnuts are affected by pests, which hinders the yield yet farmers cannot afford buying pesticides.

He as well attributes the low supply to the unpredictable weather seasons in the country today. The farmers were delayed by the sunny season that took long to cease.

However, Nambi says even low-income earners purchase groundnuts since there is a provision of the grams lower than a quarter.

In retail, a kilogram of groundnuts goes for sh6, 000 though one can also purchase 200grams at sh1, 000 and 50grams at sh700.