Drought: Meat prices drop to Shs1, 000 in Nakasongola

Mr sair Misair Ssenyange a butcher slaughters a cow that collapsed at Wabbale village in Nakasongola town. The meat was sold at Shs1000 per kilogramme.

The price of meat has drastically fallen in Nakasongola District as scores of cattle die on a daily basis due to lack of water and pasture.

A kilogramme of meat now costs Shs1000, down from Shs10, 000, while a cow goes for as low as 50,000 Shillings.

Samuel Kasirye, the Prime Minister of Buruuli said t the valley dams that were constructed by both the district and private farmers dried up in August 2018 leaving pastoralists desperate, with no water to sustain their animals. 

Mr Kasirye adds that the rains expected in early March have delayed, forcing herdsmen to trek distances looking for water and pasture. He says that because of the long distances, some animals collapse along the way and die. 

The most affected pastoralists are from the sub-counties of Nabiswera, Lwabyata, Kalungi, and Wabinyonyi. 

Mr Joseph Muruli, a pastoralist in Kawondwe village in Kalungi Sub-county says he has lost over 10 head of cattle so far. He adds that he now spends between Shs70,000-Shs200,000 per day to fuel a truck to fetch water from a distant valley dam to water his  cattle. 

Mr Godfrey Byekwaso, a cattle trader in Nakasongola District says that he now buys the cattle between Shs50,000- Shs100,000.

He says because of the high supply of cattle, they have started selling a kilogramme of meat at Shs1,000 in Nakasongola District.    

Mr Fred Kasumba, a tax collector at Kansirye Cattle Market says that because of the dry spell, few cattle now reach the market. He says the market used to attract over 300 head of cattle every day but, currently, they get about 100 head of cattle which are always in bad shape. 

Wabbale Valley Dam located near Nakasongola town is the only available water source serving over 700 head of cattle per day from Nakasongola town, Wabinyonyi and Nabiswera among other sub-counties. There are fears that the valley may dry up over high water consumption.

Ms Eva Najja, a resident of Wabbale village says human beings are competing for water with animals.

There over 264,000 head of cattle in Nakasongola district. But, at least 500 head of cattle are lost during the dry spell, each year, according to district veterinary office estimates.

According to a statement from the Uganda National Meteorological Authority, dry spell conditions are expected to prevail over most parts of the country until late March 2019.

 Dr Festus Luboyera said in a March 12, 2019 statement said that the current dry spell is a result a tropical cyclone storm which has devastated Mozambique and Madagascar. 

He said that tropical cyclone named IDAI which has been over Mozambique Channel (between Mozambique and Madagascar) led to the development of a low-pressure system  which resulted into the weakening of the Southeasterly trade winds in mid-march.

Dr Luboyera said in the statement that the winds became diverted towards the channel, depriving moisture laded winds to reach Uganda which is the reason why the country has experienced dry spells that have disrupted the onset of March to May seasonal rainfall.

“Dry spell conditions are expected to prevail over most parts of the country until late March 2019 when normal rains will set in,” he said.