By Olandason Wanyama
The demand for cattle has shot up in Karamoja sub-region, with prices soaring day-by-day, according to findings at Nadunget Market.
A huge bull is now being sold at sh2.2m, up from sh1.8m in the past few days. A medium-sized cattle is priced between sh950,000 and sh1.7m, whereas a mature sheep or goat cost between sh250,000 and sh300,000 respectively.
David Koriang, a trader, expressed excitement that locals were now benefiting from the relative peace in the region.
He said cattle trade has been in turmoil over the years, but now that there is peace, the results are visible.
“Over the years, the situation was chaotic, no one knew the type of animals he was buying because traders were buying stolen cattle,” Koriang added, tipping locals to embrace peace for good.
Genesis Byarufu, a resident of Katakwi district, said scarcity of animals has led to the price hike.
“We are fighting for the few available animals in the market,” he said.
Byarufu added that the business is now proving to be unmanageable due to the high prices involved in livestock and transportation.
Christopher Nkulete, a trader from Budaka district, said the increasing prices could force them out of the business.
“The prices have reached exorbitant levels. You can imagine a cow that weighs about 100kg being sold at sh1.3m yet we hire trucks at sh20,000 to sh50,000, depending on the distance. Kampala people ferry cows at a cost of sh150,000, so it does not make business sense, this is really hard for us now,’’ he added.
Dominic Lokiru, the chairperson Moroto abattoir slaughter group, who acknowledged the boom in the cattle industry, said Karamoja should use the season to diversify their incomes.
