By Moses Kigongo
The price of beans has started going down as the new harvest hits markets.
Currently, the price of a kilogram of beans has reduced from an average of 5,500 to 4,900 in most shops because of the fresh, cheaper harvest that has started entering the markets.
A cup of fresh beans is being sold between 2500 and 3,000 from 4,000 previously (depending on the size of the cup) in most city markets.
This kind of trend has impressed most of the stakeholders in the bean value chain (especially traders ) since they expect their cost of operation to reduce costs.
Hadija Nakanyike, one of the beans traders from St.Balikuddembe markets has expressed her happiness saying she was using a lot of capital ever since the harvesting season ended, which caused the price of beans to go up between June and August.
“I have been using about sh1,504,000m to buy just two 130kg-sacks of beans at a wholesale price of sh 4,700 from local farmers, but with the reduced price of beans, I am able to buy the same quantity at sh1344,000, hence saving sh160,000,” Nakanyike said.
Consumers led by the procurement manager of Community Primary School, Jimmy Ssendijja, equally expressed his happiness saying this kind of trend is going to enable them to buy fresh beans at a relatively cheaper price hence enabling them to save some money that will support their children to have a dietary meal at school.
Beans are the most important legume for human consumption in the world. They are estimated to be the second most important source of dietary protein and the third most important source of calories, according to the National Agricultural Advisory Services’ website.
In 2010, Uganda was ranked second highest producer of beans after Tanzania in the East Africa Community region
It is estimated that about 20 million MT of beans are produced annually with a market value of US $10 billion (FAOSTAT, 2012).
