Kenyan fruit dealers in Malaba are scaling up imports from Uganda following a slump in prices across the border.
Traders in Malaba town said the fall in import prices has given them an opportunity to ship in more fruits compared to January when costs skyrocketed.
Those who sell in Eldoret, Kisumu and Nairobi and other major towns are capitalising on low import prices and insufficient local supplies to make high profits.
A survey by the Star on Sunday revealed that a pineapple weighing one and a half kilos that retailed at Sh300 in January presently sells at Sh250. Those that sold at Sh250 currently go for Sh200.
A watermelon that retailed at Sh500 in January currently sells at Sh400. A Sh350 fruit in the same period retails at between Sh200 and Sh250.
Pineapple, watermelon and bananas are the major fruits the dealers import into the country from Uganda. The price of avocados has also slightly reduced.
In stalls in Malaba town and other border markets, an avocado that sold at Sh30 in January is now bought for Sh20.
The traders said local avocado supplies have for long helped control the import price of the fruit that is rich in vitamin A.
They said there was a shortage of oranges in the market because August is usually an off-season characterised by low harvests.
A trader at Malaba’s main market said most oranges sold in the border town originate from Tanzania. The oranges are transported to Kenya through Uganda.
Long-distance transportation of the oranges has helped boost their cost. Three oranges presently retail in Malaba town at Sh20 compared to four oranges for Sh20 before the off-season began.
“January is usually dry that is why the prices are high at the start of the year. But right now the cost of buying things like watermelon and pineapples is not bad. That is why we are importing more of those,” Celine Onyapidi said.
She said the long rains in March-April provide an opportunity for agriculturalists in Eastern Uganda to prepare their farms and plant.
Cleophas Oroni said he is taking advantage of the good prices to import more and sell in new markets outside Busia county.
On the Uganda side of the border, Dan Juma, a Kenyan importer said authorities should waive an import tax to encourage more traders to exploit the lucrative fruit market.
Most Kenyan fruit imports come from Eastern Uganda’s districts of Manafwa, Sironko, Mbale, Bududa and Budadiri. Other districts growing fruits in plenty are those in Teso sub-region including Bukedea, Kumi, Serere, Soroti, Amuria and Ngora.
Some fruits imported into the country from Uganda are sold in local markets in Western region. They are also sold in Nairobi while some are exported to Europe.
The traders spoke one year after the Ugandan business community said they preferred exporting fruits to Kenya because the levies charged are well spelt out.
In Kenya, the Uganda traders said their cargo is easily transported to its destination with limited restrictions provided they meet the required documentation.
Apart from Uganda, other top countries where Kenya imports fruits include South Africa, Egypt, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
Others are the US, Swaziland, India, Tanzania and the United Kingdom.
Kenya’s fruit imports in 2020 alone, according to International Trade Statistics stood at over US$29.7 million (about Sh297.1 million).