Fresh foods prices hike due to drought

Tomatoes are selling like a hot cake in the fresh food market in Busia town. A box of tomatoes has increased to shillings 500,000 from shillings 100,000 in the last four months.

The traders have attributed the hike in tomatoes price to scarcity caused by drought.

Sofia market at the borderline with Kenya deals in all sorts of fresh foods and during normal days traders make billions in shillings in the fresh foods which are mainly sold to Kenyan traders.

According to Idirisa Jagwe the chairman Sofia Market vendors association traders, said traders travel long distances to Buganda, Busoga and Bugisu regions to look for tomatoes and watermelons.

“Mangos and oranges are not there at all,” he said adding that only matooke is available.

He also said the price of watermelon has increased and it’s on high demand in Kenya.

A small one goes for shillings 3000 while Abigail one for shillings 8000.