Rains Force Vegetables, Fruits Prices to Drop

Sharon M. Omurungi

21 May 2011

Early this year, prices of vegetables and fruits rose making it difficult for consumers to obtain the commodities. However, prices of such commodities have been falling reaching an almost 50 per cent fall at the beginning of May.

According to Ms Rita Tumwebaze, a resident in one of Kampala’s suburbs, egg plants (entuula) that used to cost about Shs5,000 in January, have fallen to about Shs1,500.

The increase in the production of some fruits and vegetables has been a result of improved rains that have been falling since the beginning of March.

Since late last year until March, there had been no rains to enhance the growth of vegetable. This, as a result created scarcity within the market, resulting into increased commodity prices.

Mr Peter Kiwanuka, a vegetable vendor on Luwum Street told Saturday Monitor that with the coming of the rains vegetable products are expected to increases in the market – thus forcing prices of such commodities to fall.

Apart from the drought, the prices had been affected by increased fuel prices that have persisted since last year.

However, contrary to market trends, fuel prices have not gone down although prices of most vegetable products have drastically reduced.

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