Kigali City dwellers are having to pay more for yet another item — fruit. A mini-survey of markets in Kigali suburbs by Rwanda Today shows that the prices of fruit and processed food items are on the rise; vendors attribute this to disruptions caused by coronavirus.

According to the food vendors, fruits are the leading food items among others whose prices have recorded a sharp increase in the past month.

“A kilo of mangoes that was going for Rwf800, three weeks ago, is now being sold at Rwf1,000, while the pineapple that was at Rwf400 has increased to Rwf500, passion increased from Rwf850 at the beginning of February to the current Rwf1, 200,” Clementine Umulisa, a foodstuff vendor in Kicukiro said.

Food vendors attribute the increase in food prices to the limited movement of people and the end of the season.

End of season

“The harvesting season for some of the fruits is coming to an end, like mangoes. The supply chain has been disrupted by the movement of people curtailed in line with coronavirus mitigation measures,” she added.

Food dealers say the prices on the market on most of the locally grown food items remains constant.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources’ e-Soko, a government platform that provides market price information, fruit prices have increased from between Rwf50 and Rwf300 since February.

According to e-soko, one kilogramme of avocados, bananas, oranges and citrons have increased by Rwf100 in the past month in many parts of the southern province.

A kilogramme of avocados is currently Rfw400 from Rwf300 a month ago, bananas increased from Rwf600 to Rwf700 per kg, and passion fruit prices remain at Rwf900 per kg in Ruhango district.

Other commodities have also gone up due to the rising cost of production.

At Mulindi market in Kigali, maize flour has risen to Rwf1,000 from Rwf767 per kg in February.

Cassava flour rose to Rwf500 from Rwf467 per kg, sorghum flour to Rwf600 from Rwf583 per kg and cornflour to Rwf650 from Rwf533.

“The supply is generally undisrupted, but the prices at the factory gate are on the rise,” Safari Nsanzimana, a food dealer in Nyabugogo market.