Price of eggs shoots up in Mbarara as poultry farms close

MBARARA- For the last three months, the price of eggs in Mbarara City has been rising, pushing some wholesalers and retailers out of the business.

According to Denis Tindyebwa, a wholesaler of eggs in Katete cell in Mbarara City, there is a low supply of eggs from the existing poultry farms that are struggling to feed the birds.

Tindyebwa says the price of eggs started shooting high in month of September 2022 when Uganda Revenue Authority [URA] imposed new import duty of 10 percent on top of the value-added tax [VAT] of 18 percent which have made the business costly.

“Right now, I don’t have a single tray of eggs. I think the demand for eggs is high because people are baking cakes for Christmas,” Tindyebwa said, saying a tray of eggs costs Shs 12,000 or more.

Apollo Abimanya, who deals in animal feeds said most poultry farmers he knew have abandoned the business because of the high costs involved in keeping the birds for eggs.

“For instance, someone with 300 birds [layers] would require about Shs 270,000 to feed the birds in just one week. When you add transport, drugs, and other expenditures, you cannot survive in the market. That is why many farmers sold the birds and left the business.

Dornam Atwiine, a wholesaler in Katete cell says a tray of eggs right now goes for between Shs 12,000-13,000 while retailers are selling at Shs 15,000.

Allen Nuwagaba, another egg dealer in Lugazi trading centre, Mbarara City said her supplier has closed the poultry farm due to the high cost of feeds. Recently Nuwagaba had been buying a tray at Shs 10,000 and selling each tray at Shs 11,500.

Godwin Nagaba 22, who makes chapatti said has never experienced the current crisis of shortage of eggs has affected his business.

“I used to spend Shs 20,000 on all the items but right the whole amount is almost spent on eggs yet increasing the price of chapatti could send away my customers,” he said.

Assy Abirebe, the city town clerk said he was aware of the high cost of living in Mbarara, appealing the locals, saying the situation could normalise come 2023.

Abirebe added that the situation is beyond city council control and that they have no lasting solution for the struggling businesses in the city.

“It is not only the price of eggs that has gone up.  I have been told the price of a bunch of bananas has gone up. Good enough, we never increased the fee for the trading license,” Abirebe explained.

https://thecooperator.news/fish-farmers-in-oyam-decry-counterfeit-feeds/

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