Moroto, Uganda – With only one month left for the Christians to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the prices of cattle, goats, sheep’s and chicken in Karamoja markets
have doubled a head of Christmas festival.
Most of the cattle markets this publication visited in the
region finds that a bull that was going for between 900,000 to shs 1million a month ago now goes for 1.3million to Shs 2million.
A goat that was sold at shs 70,000 earlier now goes for between 150,000 and 300,000.
While sheep goes for 100,000, up from about Shs80, 000 depending on their weight.
Meanwhile a chicken weighing 4 to 5 kilograms that was sold at shs 20,000 is now  sold at Shs 30,000.
“It’s a pleasure for us the traders because we are getting much profit,” he said.
According to Longoli he buys a bull at shs 1,3million, sales it at shs 2million and gets a profit of about shs 600,000 excluding markets charges.
Simon Lokut another cattle trader in Nadunget cattle market in Moroto district said they receive traders’ right from South Sudan, Kenya and
within Uganda.
“When the traders of Uganda meet with those in Kenya and South Sudan in the market, they bargain as you the owner of animal keeps quite and
the one who will pay more is the one takes the animal,” he said.
Meanwhile the food prices has also double with a kilogram of sugar which was sold at shs 3,500 a week ago is now sold at shs 5000,in Moroto Municipality, maize flour grade one which was sold at shs
2,000 is now sold at shs 3,000 while in Kaabong is at shs 4,0000.
Rice in Moroto which was then sold at shs 4,400 a kilogram currently goes at shs 5,600, a kilogram of beans which was sold at shs 2,000 now it’s at shs 4,700.
Karamoja region gets over 97% of its food staff from the neighboring district such as Sebei, Mbale, Teso and Acholi sub regions.