Milk Prices Drop in Ntungamo as Rains Boost Production

What the report says

Milk prices in Ntungamo District have eased after the return of rains improved pasture and water availability for dairy herds, according to Nile Post. The report says daily milk output has risen from about 35,000 litres during the dry spell to roughly 55,000 litres, helping reduce shortages in the local market.

The publication said farm-gate prices have fallen from Shs1,800 to about Shs1,200-Shs1,300 per litre, while retail prices have dropped from Shs2,500 to around Shs1,800-Shs2,000. A milk trader, Dickinson Ayesigye, linked the decline to improved supply as weather conditions changed. Ntungamo District Production Officer Dr Yake Basulira said production was already recovering and could rise further as the rainy season continues.

Nile Post also placed the development in the context of a difficult dry period from April to August, when pasture and water became scarce and foot-and-mouth disease added pressure on farmers. During that time, competition for limited milk pushed prices higher and output fell below earlier levels. The district normally records much higher daily production in favorable rainy seasons, the report said.

While milk prices have fallen, the story notes that consumers in Ntungamo are still facing higher prices for some other essentials, including vegetables, fresh produce and meat, which traders attribute to the dry spell, fuel prices and transport costs.