Maize seed price doubles ahead of planting season

The price of hybrid maize seeds has almost doubled as farmers prepare their gardens for the next planting season in September and October.

After receiving some rains following a long dry spell that adversely affected plantations, farmers are now worried that the high price of the cereal seeds may affect food production.

Mr Esukaya Ochakolongo, a cereal farmer in Gulu District, said he is not sure when the price of hybrid maize seeds will go down.

“A two-kilogramme sachet of maize seeds currently costs between Shs40,000 and Shs50,000, up from between Shs20,000 and Shs24,000, while a 20-kilogramme bag of hybrid maize seeds costs between Shs280,000 and Shs500,000, depending on the variety,” Mr Ochakolongo said at the weekend.

He added that due to scarcity, Dk777 maize seed hybrid now costs Shs500,000 per 20-kilogramme sack.

“Local suppliers like Naseco, Bayer, and DeKalb hybrid seed companies are both foreign (Kenyan) companies, which don’t have enough seeds; that is why they are supplying in small quantities, hence pushing the prices up,’’ he added.

Mr Ochakolongo expressed fear that if the situation does not change within the next 30 days, most farmers may not be able to plant maize this season. 

In Mukono District, Ms Janet Ajambo, the sales manager for Top Seeds Company, said they have a stock-out of hybrid maize seeds because of a shortage in supply.

“Companies that have maize seeds don’t have fixed prices, but increase the prices every day and are currently selling a 20-kilogramme sack of seeds between Shs250,000 and Shs300,000, up from Shs175,000,” she said.

She added that Uganda has been importing maize seeds from Kenya, but it has also been hit by scarcity.

“Kenya has just harvested maize and is drying it. Kenya also had some changes in climate, which also changed their harvesting period,’’ Ms Ajambo said, adding that they expect the price to reduce in September.

Mr Albert Birungi, a sales manager for Faith Agro Inputs in western Uganda, said the Dk777 variety, which is in high demand in East Africa, is out of stock due to drought.

Mr Birungi, however, warned that the prices are likely to continue skyrocketing because “our local breeders were not prepared”.

He said a two-kilogramme sachet of maize seeds costs Shs25,000, up from Shs10,000, while in places such as Lira, the same quantity goes for as high as Shs60,000.

Mr James Masengere, the proprietor of Kisakye Farmers Shop on Lubas Road in Jinja City, said all hybrid maize seeds such as Dk777, Longe 10h, and Bazooka are out of stock in Jinja City. 

At Kyaggwe Farmers Shop, also in Jinja City, a single two-kilogramme sachet of Dk777 hybrid seed was available, which was also sold before the reporter exited the shop.

The scarcity points to a sharp increase in the price of maize flour), which is largely consumed by most Ugandans.