As the president’s directive to maintain social distancing and countrywide curfew enrolls to its final days, most commodities in and around Kampala’s commodity market registered low demand. Consumers stayed away from the usually crowded markets. Supply throughout the week was slow and demand for maize was mainly for production of posho within the city suburbs. Traders in Kisenyi dry grain market also noted that free food distribution to the vulnerable community around town could have affected the demand for posho in most city markets. Maize grain was bought at Ugx.1100-1120/kg throughout the week.
The posho price declined slightly from Ugx.110,000 per 50Kgs sack to Ugx.103,000. Apparently the last harvest season last year that opened October was good and plenty of grain is expected on the market until May, 2020. The climax is usually the month of May when maize price is at its highest. This supply is followed by maize grain import from Tanzania which undercuts the inflated market price before the new first season harvest in June/July. The price of maize bran declined due to low demand to Ugx.250/kg in Kisenyi market.
Mbale, Masindi and Mubende registered very similar grain price at Ugx.1100/kg. The Joseph Initiative and Aponye Uganda Ltd bought maize grain in Masindi where surplus was registered in the 2nd season.
Some maize grain was bought from Kamwenge at Ugx.1040-1050/kg, however, cheaper grain was offered from Tanzania via Mutukula at Ugx.1000/kg taxes included. The grain was delivered with groundnuts although the quality was no good mixed with white groundnuts. Rice and beans were also delivered via Mutukula border post. Good quality gnuts were offered at Ugx.4,400-4,300/kg while poor quality at Ugx.3700/kg. Rice and beans were offered at Ugx.3,300/kg and 3,950/kg Mutukula price respectively.
Busia border produce market registered approximately 400Mt daily formally via URA main gate and only an estimated 50Mt informally. Good quality maize grain was bought at Ksh.34/kg (Ugx1186) while fair quality at Ksh.33/kg (Ugx.1151) and the least acceptable quality at Ksh.32/kg (Ugx.1116)
Beans were very expensive in Masindi at Ugx4500/kg old stock at retail level. Kampala markets also had beans very expensive especially the supply from Tanzania retailing at Ugx.5,000-6,000/kg depending on quality. Mbale registered lower beans prices due to the fact that old stocked beans were offered to the market at Ugx.2,800-3,200/kg. Most upcountry markets offered old stock beans expensively.
Less than 50Mt of assorted bean varieties were sold daily via Busia produce border market formally to Kenya. The informal business that has been going on for years was partially closed due to the stepped up security at the border to control the highly infectious Covid 19 disease.
Other commodities that were demanded by the Kenyan agribusiness community included millet, sorghum, cassava, groundnuts, simsim and grams. Less than 50Mt of sorghum and millet were bought daily formally via URA gate.
Yellow beans were preferred at Ksh.125/kg (Ugx.4,363) apparently sugar beans were very expensive at Ksh.148/kg (Ugx.5,165) wholesale price. Nambale beans cost Ksh.115/kg (Ugx.4,013).Mixed beans and Red Wailimu cost Ksh.90/kg (Ugx.3,141) and Ksh.98/kg (Ugx.3,420) respectively.
Farmgain Africa