The low farm-gate price for passion fruits is frustrating farmers and dealers.
The price has drastically gone down with increased supply on the market.
George Kisembo, a passion fruit farmer, and trader along Kafumbe Mukasa Road in Kisenyi in Kampala said the price drop is partly caused by excessive supply on the market.
He said a bag of passion fruits ranges between sh70,000 to sh400,000 depending on the species up from sh500,000-sh900,000 in the recent past.
Stephen Membe, a passion fruit farmer in Kassanda district said low prices push farmers out of business because they do not recover the operating costs.
Juma Mugabi, a passion fruit dealer in Kampala said by the time the price rises majority of farmers will not have any supplies on the market.
“The government has not done enough to protect farmers mainly during oversupply that results in reduced prices,” he added.
Meanwhile, the price for mangoes which are normally the substitutes for passion fruits has instead remained static. A bag goes for sh50,000 and sh80,000.
