By Steven Ariong:
The prices of cattle, goats, sheep’s and chicken in Karamoja markets have tripled a head of Christmas festival.
According to a one week mini survey conducted by Daily Monitor in Karamoja cattle markets, a bull that was going for between 900,000 to shs 1million three month ago now now goes for 1.8million to Shs 2million.
A goat that was sold at shs 100,000 earlier now goes for sold at between 150,000 and 200,000.
While sheep goes for 100,000, up from about Shs80,000.
Meanwhile a chicken weighing 3 to 5 kilograms that was sold at shs 17,000 is now is sold at Shs 30,000 while a roasted piece now goes for Sh 5,500, up from shs 3,000.
Patrick Lote a cattle trader based Kanawat cattle market in Kotido district said for the last three weeks a large number of cattle had been sold in Kotido.
He said traders right from South Sudan, Kenya and within Uganda are the ones buying livestock and chicken in Karamoja market.
“We are trying to take advantage of this Christmas make some profit from livestock,” he said.
Meanwhile the food prices has also double with a kilogram of sugar which was sold at shs 4,000 two weeks ago is now sold at shs 4500,in Moroto Municipality, maize flour grade one which was sold at shs
3,000 is now sold at shs 3,700 while in Kotido is at shs 3,900.
Rice in Moroto which was then sold at shs 3,400 a kilogram currently goes at shs 4,000, a kilogram of beans which was sold at shs 2,500 now it’s at shs 3,000.
Karamoja region gets over 97% of its food staff from the neighboring district such as Sebei, Mbale, Teso and Acholi sub regions.