EASTERN PROVINCE

Consumers in Nyamata town, Bugesera District are digging deeper into their pockets to afford meat due to soaring prices.

A mini survey curried out by The New Times in Nyamata markets and butcheries indicates that meat prices have hit a 33.3 per cent mark. A kilogramme is currently being sold at between Frw1,500 and Frw1,600 from Frw1,100 and Frw1,200 last month.

John Bosco Kamana, a butcher at Nyamata attributes the price increase to the high price s of cattle and goats in the region.

An average bull now costs between Frw250,000-Frw300,000. "You can see how expensive it is to buy cattle. So, to keep in the business, we had to increase prices too," Kamana added. He further said goats’ prices have also increased to between Frw25,000 and Frw30,000 from Frw18,000. The butchers are retailing a kilogramme of goat meat at between Frw1,600- Frw1,800 from the previous Frw1,300-Frw1,500.

The farm-gate and consumer prices of foodstuffs have however dropped. Many Rwandans in the regions now have plenty on their plates and still have something to sell.

Prices of beans, a major dish in the country have dropped to Frw250 from Frw400-600, December last year. While ground nuts came down to Frw600 from Frw700-800.

Jacqueline Mukamusoni, a vendor at Nyamata market says she was forced to cut prices of the produce partly because she buys them cheaply.

The survey shows that tomatoes, Irish potatoes, cassava, green bananas, sorghum, beans, rice had also registered a drop in prices.

Damascene Gakwandi, a vendor at the same market says good yields in the region have partly contributed to the price cuts. Eric Muhire, a supplier of peas, beans, Irish potatoes and other assorted foodstuffs in Nyamata market however, attributed the price drop to the good climate for food crops’ growing. "Bugesera used to have constant drought, but now we have constant rain. That’s why our area is now rich of foodstuffs," Muhire said.

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