Rains in Western Uganda Lead to Price Hikes

Prices for such things like passion fruits in many markets have started to climb due to the effects of the Kasese floods on the supply chain. There has been a spate of heavy rains in western Uganda, especially in Kasese district, near the Rwenzori Mountains. This has caused many crops being washed away.

 Sources at the Nakasero market in the middle of the city centre told the East African Business Week that the floods in Kasese had cut off the transport network. This led to scarcity of passion fruits and Irish potatoes from that region of Uganda.David Sentongo, a fruits broker at the market said the price for a sack of passion fruits has increased from Ush150,000 (about $57) to Ush250, 000 (about $91) The price for Irish potatoes had gone up from Ush90 000 ($34) to Ush120,000 ($46). 

"We expect the price to go up higher than the current price if the rains persist in both western and eastern parts of the country, where most agriculture foods crops comes from," he said. Sentongo said due to the floods transport companies were hiking fares, because very few trucks can access the feeder roads in the countryside.

Several bridges have also been washed away or collapsed which had made the situation worse.

Apart from causing price hiking the rains if persist may also affect the tourism sector in the country because Kasese District is a hub of tourism sites in the country ranging from Mountain Rwenzori Queen Elizabeth National park which contribute much in the tourism sector "Floods is making the place impassable for the tourist to reach their destination especially those going to Mountain Rwenzori for trekking services "said Asiimwe Wilson resident of Kasese told the East African Business Week on phone Herbert Byaruhanga the president of Uganda Tourism Association told the East African Business Week that if the roads that have been destroyed are not worked on within a short period of time, this may hinder the movement of tourists in the district and other parts of the country like on Lake Albert which is also a popular tourist destination.

East African Business Week