Prolonged drought pushes tomatoes prices up

Prices of fresh tomatoes have skyrocketed in various markets within Gulu Municipality due to limited supply affected by a dry spell hitting the district and other parts of the country.

At Gulu Main Market, vendors for the past three months have been experiencing significant reduction in supply of tomatoes mainly from within the region and central Uganda.

Suzan Lamunu, a tomatoes vendor at Gulu Main Market, says a box of tomatoes at wholesale price is Shs550,000 up from Shs250,000 last year.

She says prices started rising in November. “I started vending tomatoes in 1995 but I have not experienced such shortage and high price of tomatoes like it is happening currently.

I believe if the dry spell persists, tomatoes will be unaffordable,” Lamunu says. Currently, she gets her supplies from Masaka District.

Market assessment
According to Lamunu, she sells a medium-sized tomato at Shs500, while four big tomatoes are sold between Shs2,000 and Shs3,000. Due to the high prices, the number of tomato customers has reduced significantly, which affected her business.

“In the past, I would sell a box of tomatoes within five days but now it takes almost two weeks to sell it. Sometimes the tomatoes get spoiled,” Lamunu says adding that “Many people now opt to use food ingredients such as food colour, curry powder and Royco as a substitute.

Betty Kaggwa, another vegetable vendor at Wilobo Market in Pece Division, says at times she does not have anything to sell due to inconsistent supply.

She blamed the current drought affecting supply of tomatoes on the destruction of wetlands and indiscriminate tree cuttings countrywide.

Chris Ojara, a tomatoes farmer at Pece Lukung Village, Laroo Division in Gulu District, says the unfair weather has forced him to halt preparation of the nursery bed for planting tomatoes.

He says although demands for tomatoes is high, there is high fear that they may not grow well if planted given the inconsistent rains. Donald Lukwiya, a dealer in agro seeds and inputs, says the tomato varieties that grow well in the region are Rio-grande and Cal J.

He, however, advised farmers in the region to embark on irrigation, citing that it is the only safe approach to ensure adequate supply of tomatoes in the region.