BY BLESSING TAURO
IT’S the beginning of a new month and there is no much change in the markets from the last analysis which was done on 18 April 2023.
The market of sweet potatoes has increased since they are now consumed as breakfast even lunch. This has led to a rapid decrease in their demand. The market had a total of 300-350 tonnes and it’s now up to 500 tonnes.
Prices are now pegged from as little as US$1 up to US$7 depending on the quality and quantity of the sweet potatoes. The major supplying areas were Chimanimani, Shekwa, Chikore, Daisy Hill, Ngaone, Joppa, Holland and Sakuinje, Mundanda and Jersey and Rusitu.
In the potato market, there was an increase in the mobile truck vendors selling potatoes ranging from US$4-US$10 depending on the pack size. Non mobile vendors are selling potatoes at Checheche Beer Garden and they will be having small trucks as compared to the mobile potato vendors.
In the tomatoes section, a 30kg plastic sack of tomatoes was going for US$16-28 and major sources were locally Chisumbanje, Chinyamukwakwa, Chibuwe, Chipangayi and Birchenough, Nyanyadzi and Macheke. The price for tomatoes hasn’t changed but the quality has recently changed from R10 for 10 to R10 for 7. This indicates that the supply of tomatoes is decreasing and the quality also shows that they are getting the product from local suppliers.
The supply of cabbages is no longer that good since there is now a continuous supply of alternatives such as Covo, Mastard (Tsunga) and Rape from Mwanyisa, Rimai, Rukangare areas. Larger bundles are selling at R5 at Speed Market near Zaoga from the early hours of the morning till 1000hrs then there will be bulk break buy local vendors. Cabbages are going for R10-R20 at newly constructed Checheche green market depending on size of the cabbage.
Fresh okra is in good supply from Chinyamukwakwa and Chisumbanje priced from US$8-US$10 per at 20l bucket depending on quality.
There was a high supply of cucumber known as Mabhondasi from Matikwa, Mwanyisa, Madhuku, Rimai, Munepasi, Chisumbanje and Machona. Children will be selling them mobile and some will be selling at Checheche speed market.
Blessing Tauro is an Agricultural Economist based at Checheche. He can be contacted on: economisttauro@gmail.com or +263 714 549 904 and +263 778 833 101.