By Joseph Mugenyi
Kibiito: Of recent, food prices have increased abnormally in all parts of the country.
According to economics, this is due to the fact that demand is higher than supply, making prices increase.
As it was predicted earlier by Mugenyi Joseph of MJ Farm, that there will be a scarcity of food due to calamities that hit most parts of the country, such as the strong winds, floods etc.
This has come to reality as production rate reduces.
In a one on one conversation with Kitara Vincent a tomato farmer in Kibiito, Bunyangabu District who is recently harvesting his tomatoes.
Kitara told Mugenyi that he harvests atleast 25 crates of tomatoes per week.
Sometimes he uses a car to sell his tomatoes which he said makes more profits since he mostly sells to the final consumer.
Tomato prices raised from the previous range of about 15,000shs- 25,000shs and currently they are sold at Shs70,000 – Shs90,000 per crate.
Recently 1 big tomato cost Shs500 and 2 medium-sized tomatoes cost Shs500.
Mathematically, on average each crate is sold at 80,000shs. This implies he sold 25 crates at shs2 million but previously a crate was sold at Shs20,000 meaning 25 crates were to be sold at Shs500,000.
Vincent said that after getting Shs2m, he was extremely happy and left the market as if he had stolen the money because all that money wasn’t expected and this really motivated him to even buy more tomato seeds for planting.
He advised farmers to keep moving and never to give up. “Today it’s worse tomorrow it may be better,” he said.
Let us also look at general prices for other agriculture products in Bunyangabu District markets that is; Ruboona, Kasunganyanja,
Mugusu, kibiito, Rwiimi and Nyakigumba.
Bananas Shs10,000- Shs30,000 (previously shs2,000 – shs10,000)
Irish potato a sack Shs90,000 – Shs100,000 (previously Shs50,000 – Shs60,000)
Yams a sack Shs40,000 – Shs50,000 (previously at shs25,000 – Shs35,000)
Beans each kg cost Shs3,000 – Shs3,500 (previously Shs1,500 – Shs2,000).
Potato each sack Shs 50,000shs – Shs60,000 (previously Shs20,000 – Shs30,000).
Green paper Shs80,000 – Shs90,000 (previously Shs40,000 – Shs50,000)
Onions each sack at Shs180,000 – Shs200,000. (previously Shs80,000 – Shs100,000).
Cassava Shs50,000 – Shs60,000 (previously Shs 30,000 – Shs40,000)
Yellow banana Shs15,000 – Shs30,000 (previously Shs10,000 – Shs20,000)
Water melon Shs3,000 – Shs4,000 (previously Shs1,500 – Shs2,500)
Cabbage Shs1,000 – Shs2,500 (previously Shs200 – Shs1,000).
Gnuts Shs5,000 – Shs6,000 (previously Shs4,000 – Shs5,000)
Pumpkin Shs 3,000 – 4,000 (previously Shs500 – Shs1,500)
Tomatoes Shs70,000 – Shs90,000 a crate. (previously Shs15,000 – Shs25,000) Sugarcane 1,000shs-1,500shs (previously 300shs-500shs).
Egg plants Shs20,000 – Shs30,000 per basin. (previously Shs7,000 – Shs15,000)
Carrots Shs300 each piece. (previously each piece was Shs100)
Ovarcado Shs40,000 – Shs45,000a sack (previously Shs15,000 – Shs25,000) Etc.
Farmers, Don’t Be Cheated
Farmers’ Motto “Enkumbi Telimba” (A Hoe Doesn’t Lie).
Get all the agricultural information here bi-weekly. Mugenyi Joseph (MJ Farmer) is a practicing Agribusiness entrepreneur based in Kibiito and a software engineering student at Makerere University. He can be reached on 0701-443309, Email: mugenyijosemj@gmail.com
