On average, Ugandans spend less than ten percent of their income on food. However, people living in poverty spend 50 percent and the poorest as much as 75% of their income on food
A visit to some of the markets around on Tuesday Kampala shows that food price relationships differ from one market to another. These food prices vary and keep on changing depending on the seasons. The cost of some foodstuff in Nakasero market in downtown is not the same as that of Kalerwe market in the suburb.
The need for food makes agriculture the most powerful sector in Uganda. Whilst this sector grew every at an annual average of only 3.7 percent over 1990-99 compared to the far more impressive growth of the rainfall, although it does still suffer from irregular droughts such as in 1993-94. Industrial and service sectors, the importance of agriculture in Uganda’s economy outweighs all other sectors put together.
Uganda is able to rely on agriculture due to the country’s excellent access to waterways, fertile soils, and, (relative to many other African nations) it’s regular.
As the day breaks several vendors in different markets begin to sort out and display the food commodities as they wait on for the daily suppliers to deliver the fresh food. These include fruits, vegetables, cereals and root crops.
Prices
Commodity Unit Nakasero Kalerwe Nakawa Owino
Matooke Bunch 30,000 30,000 27,000 35,000
Cassava Kg 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,200
Beans Kg 3,000 3,000 2,000 3,000
Maize Flour Kg 1,800 3,500 2,000 2,800
Cavendish (Bogoya) Kg 4,000 5,000 5,000 3,600
Millet flour Kg 3,000 3,500 3,500 3,200
Rice Kg 4,000/3,000 4,500 4,000 4,000
Soya beans Kg 2,500 3,000 2,500 2,500
Sweet potatoes Kg 5,000 7,000 5,000 6,000
Irish potatoes Kg 10,000 15,000 10,000 14,000
Groundnuts Kg 5,500 4,500 5,500 5,200
Local eggs Tray 25,000 18,000 30,000 20,000
Exotic eggs Tray 10,000 13,000 15,000 9,500
Pineapples Whole 2,000 2,500 2,500 2,000
Sukumawiki Kg 1,500 1,000 1,000 8, 00
Local chicken Bird 30,000 20,000 25,000 30,000
Exotic chicken Bird 25,000 15,000 17,000 11,000
Tilapia Whole 150,000 10,000 9,000 20,000
Turkey Bird 80,000 85,000 75,000 95,000
Buying food from these markets is a bit hard due to their location and limited parking space, however this has not stopped potential buyers from accessing the markets.
“We buy food from suppliers who also get it from farmers at a particular cost and that’s why we also sell it at a slightly higher price,