Farmers and traders in Mubende and Kassanda are stuck with their produce after president Museveni imposed a 21-day lockdown in the two districts to contain a recent Ebola outbreak. Agricultural prices have since reduced drastically because public transport was banned in the districts. According to the Ministry of Health, Ebola has claimed 24 lives as of last Monday.
Other affected farmers are from Kyegegwa and Kakumiro districts which neighbour Mubende and Kassanda.
A farmer from Kabarugi Village in Bugogo Town Council, Kyegegwa, said by the time the president announced lockdown, he had finished harvesting his two gardens of beans and Irish potatoes. He said his customers were from Mubende but they had all cancelled their bookings.
“I have been selling a sack of Irish potatoes of 100 kg between Shs180,000 and Shs190,000 before lockdown but now it has reduced to Shs140,000 in a few days because the demand has reduced,” Mr Kaziira said. He said a kilogramme of beans now costs Shs3,500 up from Shs4,000.
A trader who owns a stall at Lusarila market on Mubende-Kampala highway said all her perishable products such as tomatoes and bananas have started rotting because her daily customers, who are taxi and bus travellers, are no longer moving. She said they have decided to reduce the price of their merchandise but they can still hardly get any customers.
[ Shs100 = €0.027 ]
Source: monitor.co.ug