Shoppers in the Eastern Province district of Nyagatare will have to dig deeper into their pockets to buy some of the basic needs following price increases for most commodities over the past week. The price of fresh beans increased from Rwf280 to Rwf300 per kilo, peas cost Rwf800 a kilo, up from Rwf600, while that of ground nuts went up from Rwf700 to Rwf800 per kilogramme and Irish potatoes cost Rwf200 from Rwf180 per kilo.

Moses Ngoga, a trader in Rwimiyaga Market, attributed the increase to the prolonged drought the country is currently experiencing. Ngoga said the basin of tomatoes now costs Rwf3,000 in Rwimiyaga Market compared to Rwf2,000 previously, while onions go for Rwf800 a kilo from Rwf750.

The price of rice increased to Rwf800 from Rwf750, the kilo of maize flour increased to Rwf600 from Rwf550, avocado ranges from Rwf100 to Rwf200. Flavia Mukamwezi, a trader in Nyagatare Market, said a kilo of mangoes is now at Rwf600, from Rwf500 last week, passion fruits cost Rwf1,400 a kilo, up from Rwf1,300, while that of oranges ranges from Rwf1,200 to Rwf1,400.