Rwandans have started enjoying lower prices of basic staple foodstuff such as legumes and potatoes as the early harvest begins to trickle into markets.

According to a survey at various markets in Kigali, prices of various staples harvested early this year have started easing.

 Domithile Muhawenayo, a food vendor at Nyabugogo market told Rwanda Today that the prices of agricultural commodities started dropping over the past three weeks.

 “Despite the pandemic effects, customers have started enjoying the reduction in prices of commodities like Irish potatoes, bananas and green beans,” she said.

 From vegetables to cereals, an overall increase in agricultural production has been attributed to precipitation which has been averagely go o d across the country.

 Consumers started experiencing a gradual fall in food prices late December when costs for some key farm produce began to ease. Food prices had risen sharply between October and November, sparking fears of an expensive festive season as the pandemic crippled financial strength of many families.

According to the recent Consumer Price Index , the main gauge of inflation increased by 4.2 percent year-on-year in November 2020 down from 7.2 percent in October 2020.

In November 2020, food and non-alcoholic beverages increased by 4.7 percent on an annual and decreased by one percent on a monthly basis.

The data also show the locally produced goods increased by 3.9 percent on annual change and decreased by 1.4 percent on monthly basis, while prices of the imported products increased by 5.3 percent on annual basis and increased by 0.3 percent on monthly basis.

Prices of the fresh products increased by 5.6 percent on annual change and decreased by 2.3 percent on monthly basis.

 A survey in Kigali’s food markets noted that Irish potatoes, some vegetables, peas and beans are among the foodstuffs whose prices have been on a downward trend for four successive months.

 Irish potatoes that cost as much as Rwf350 a kilogramme in October had recently dropped to between Rwf200 and Rwf240.

Rwandan rice and beans now go for Rwf800 and Rwf550 respectively down from Rwf1,100 and Rwf1000 a kilogramme months earlier.