Farmers in Omoro frustrated by price fluctuation of beans, maize

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Farmers in Omoro and neighbouring Oyam district are counting losses following price fluctuations of beans and maize grains.

It follows the bumper harvest of the crops and the rush by farmers to make quick cash ahead of the festive season.

Barbara Piloya, a farmer in Minakulu town council in Oyam district says the prices of maize grains and beans in the area have drastically dropped by over 50 percent since the beginning of November.

She explains that initially, produce dealers would purchase a kilogram of beans at 2,000 Shillings but the price has now fluctuated to 900 Shillings while a kilogram of maize dropped to 500 shillings from 1,000 Shillings.

Martina Apio, a produce dealer in Aremo trading centre explains that the continued closure of educational institutions of learning has had a huge impact because they bought the products in bulk and are now limited by the market.

Another produce dealer Geoffrey Atim, from Bobi trading centre is optimistic that the problem can only be addressed through the reopening of educational institutions that were closed following the outbreak of global coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.

According to Kenneth Odyek, the Bobi sub county council speaker, the local leadership is encouraging the farmers and produce dealers to consider bulking their produce and wait to sell at once for better profits.

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