Kotido’s entrepreneurs optimistic about food price stability amid new harvest

25 July 2024, 2:19 pm

BY Charles Ochan

Entrepreneurs in Kotido are anticipating stable food prices in the coming months as new food harvest set in.

This follows a reduction in food prices currently being registered at the different markets across the district.

Currently, a kilogram of beans is sold for between 3,000 and 5,000 shillings, down from 6,000 shillings. A kilogram of posho is now 1,800 to 2,000 shillings, down from 2,800 shillings. A jug of maize is sold for 2,500 to 3,000 shillings, and sorghum is sold for 2,500 shillings per jug.

Simon Waninda, a vendor at Kotido Main Market, says the prices of food commodities have reduced compared to two months ago, except for tomato prices, which had increased but have now stabilised.

He attributes the earlier hike in tomato prices to the difficulty in purchasing herbicides for preventing diseases that affected vegetables such as tomatoes. This slowed the supply and subsequently led to higher prices.

Anna Achilla, a retailer at the market, attributes the current stable prices to last year’s stock, noting that some traders who had hoarded commodities in bulk are now selling them cheaply to make way for new stock as the new harvest sets in. 

According to the recently released multi-hazard early warning bulletin for the month of June, most households in the district currently rely on the major staple foods from local markets. The bulletin further reveals that staple food prices remain stable due to the heavy inflows of crop commodities from the Acholi, Lango, and Teso districts.