The produce market opened with high demand at the Busia border market. Plenty of maize was supplied to this particular market given the fact that the second season had started in late January. An estimated 2900MT were demanded on a daily by several transit traders who turned up at this market. Good quality maize was offered at Ksh.35/kg (Ugx.800) while the least acceptable quality was demanded at Ksh.31/kg (Ugx.728). More trading was reported by the second week as increased stocking by the Cereal boards and other buyers beyond Kenya intensified their purchases. An estimated 3000-3200MT of grain were purchased daily at this time at the same price of Ksh.35/kg (Ugx.861). The least acceptable quality usually for animal feeds cost Ksh.31/kg (Ugx.762).
In the final week of the month, reduced grain trading was reported at Busia and volumes traded reduced from 3000-3400MT to only 800-900MT daily. The fall in demand was a result of a mini harvest season in Meru/Kamba land where some maize harvesting is noted to have started. This harvest is speculated to be short, however, it left Busia Produce market in slow business. This Meru harvest also affected the grain price in Busia from Ksh.35-Ksh.26/kg (Ugx.861-Ugx.707). The maize purchased for animal feed dropped to Ksh.24/kg (Ugx.652). Prices are expected to remain low until the Kenya harvest supply runs low.
There was a slow down at the opening of the month of trading for beans since most traders had changed business from beans to grain business at Busia. Low demand for beans was reported in the opening week with only an estimated 600-800MT of assorted beans were traded daily. Yellow beans were preferred at Ksh.137/kg (Ugx.3219) while Short Nambale cost Ksh.125-130/kg (Ugx.2937-3055), Wailimu at Ksh.82/kg (Ugx.1927), Mixed beans at Ksh.79/kg (Ugx.1856), Army Green beans at Ksh.130/kg (Ugx.3055) and Long Nambale at Ksh.108-115/kg (Ugx.2538-2702).
There was an increase in price by the second week of February for beans. Apparently, the volumes demanded declined to an estimated 300-400MT daily of assorted beans. The transit traders demanded less beans and more maize because they had been buying more beans at the start of the year. Yellow beans increased to Ugx.136/kg (Ugx.3345), Short Nambale at Ksh.135/kg (Ugx.3321), Long Nambale at Ksh.137/kg (Ugx.3370), Wailimu at Ksh.85/kg (Ugx.2091), Mixed beans at Ksh.80/kg (Ugx.1968) and Rosecoco beans at Ksh.125/kg (Ugx.3075).
At the close of the month, the demand for beans at Busia increased from northern Uganda markets. Yellow beans were offered at Ksh.130/kg (Ugx.3536), Nambale short at Ksh.135/kg (Ugx.3672), Long Nambale at Ksh.113/kg (Ugx.3073), Wailimu at Ksh.79/kg (Ugx.2148) and Rosecoco which was scarce at Ksh.130/kg (Ugx.3536).
Other commodities demanded at Busia in the opening week included Millet at Ksh.82/kg (Ugx.1927), Soya beans at Ksh.98/kg (Ugx.2303), Sorghum at Ksh.41-42/kg (Ugx.963-983), Green grams at Ksh.98/kg (Ugx.2303), Cassava chips at Ksh.41/kg (Ugx.963), Groundnuts at KSh.240/kg (Ugx.5640) and Simsim at Ksh.255/kg (Ugx.5992).
Millet price declined to Ksh.75/kg (Ugx.2040) at the end of the month while Sorghum to Ksh.37-38/kg (Ugx.1006-1033), Cassava chips dropped to Ksh.27/kg ) Ugx.734).
Plenty of maize grain was delivered to Kampala in the opening week of February at Ugx.680-700/kg. This supply forced the maize flour price low to Ugx.1400/kg. Meanwhile there was a slight increase in price in Kampala by the second week to Ugx.720/kg. Apparently, maize four price also increased to Ugx.1500/kg. Supply was registered from maize production locations especially in the central and western regions such as Kiboga and Kyankwanzi where maize cost Ugx.600/kg. A bumper harvest was also reported in Sembambule. Maize was also offered at Ugx.600/kg in Mubende.
Mid-month, the price fluctuated between Ugx.700-750/kg. Plenty of maize grain was equally reported supplied to this market. More production locations such Masindi, Kibaale, Kamwenge also supplied to Kampala. However, some Rwandan transit traders continued purchasing good quality grain in Kamwenge. In the final week, the price for maize further declined Ugx.650-700/kg in Kisenyi –Kampala market. The maize flour price likewise declined to Ugx.1300/kg at wholesale mainly due to low purchase at Busia. Most transit traders delivering maize to Busia dropped it off at Kampala to reduce their losses in transportation when Busia offered it at Ugx707/kg.
An assortment of beans were received in Kampala including Long Nambale at Ugx.2700-2800/kg, Short Nambale at Ugx.3400-3500/kg, Rosecoco at Ugx.2800-3200/kg, Yellow beans at Ugx.2900-3500/kg, White beans at Ugx.2800-3000/kg, Green beans at Ugx.3500-3600/kg and Mixed beans at Ugx.2700-3000/kg big size while small size beans at Ugx.1800-2000/kg.
Only Short Nambale beans registered an increase in price to Ugx.3500-3600/kg at wholesale level mid-month. Conversely, Yellow beans decreased in price to Ugx.3000-3200/kg. Other beans varieties registered stable prices. In the final week, stable prices were recorded in Kampala. Farmgain Africa.