Story by James Innocent
A noticeable drop in food prices in Yei River County has been registered over the past month.
Traders and consumer attribute the development to an increase in local agricultural produce and improved security, in the area.
According to Jamba Tella Richard, a trader in various cereals and cassava flour at Lutaya Market, holds enhanced security on the roads, responsible.
“Currently, ten kilograms of maize cost 46,000 SSP, while ten kilograms of sorghum sell at 45,000 SSP and a cup of beans goes for 3,500 SSP. I’m confident prices will drop even further by the end of this month,” she anticipated.
Jamba, however, lamented decrease in sales in the market.
“The sales in the market have reduced compared to previous weeks,” she said.
She also noted the ongoing hardship that many consumers face, pointing out that most people cannot afford to buy food in bulk and are forced to purchase in smaller quantities.
To safeguard household from purges of hunger, Jamba urged farmers to bring little quantities of food to the market in order to help stabilize prices and mitigate shortages. She highlighted the ongoing economic challenges in the country.
Meanwhile, Grace Oliver, another trader, acknowledged that although the general security situation has improved, there are still occasional incidents when traveling to markets outside the town. This, she warned, poses risks to traders and could potentially undermine the gains made in the county.
Oliver appealed to the government to improve road infrastructure to enable the smooth movement of goods and traders, which she believes will contribute to economic growth.
“I’m urging farmers to slightly reduce the volume of their sales so that we, as traders, can also reduce prices in the market and still earn something to support our families, like paying school fees for our children,” she added.
In a related development, the Chairman of Chamber of Commerce Justin Luwate also called on the government to enhance security and road conditions, noting that high taxes at the national, state, and county levels continue to burden both local and foreign traders.
As a custodia of Yei River County, commissioner, Emmanuel Taban Seme encouraged young people to engage in agriculture during these challenging times as a sustainable way to combat hunger and support economic recovery.