Africa-Press – Uganda. Meat prices in Kampala have registered a slight increase ahead of the Christmas festivities but remain significantly lower than the sharp hikes witnessed during the 2024 festive season, according to butchers at the city abattoir.
Currently, beef is selling at an average of Shs14,000 per kilogram, reflecting an increase of between Shs1,000 and Shs2,000 from recent weeks. However, this is still well below the Shs17,000 per kilogram wholesale price recorded during the 2024 Christmas period.
Butchers attribute the modest rise to a combination of factors, including the high cost of live cattle, reduced prices of offals, and a decline in the number of cattle delivered to the abattoir in recent days. Traders say retail prices may rise slightly as Christmas approaches, but no drastic increases are expected.
At the Kampala City Abattoir, festive-season activity is already visible, with traders, butchers and transporters moving livestock—particularly goats—into the facility. Despite the increased activity, meat traders say prices have remained relatively stable.
The head of female butchers at the city abattoir, Hawa Mukandoli, said the 2025 Christmas season has not caused major disruptions in the meat market.
“We have not seen big changes in meat prices this Christmas. The situation is different from previous years,” Mukandoli said.
A butcher for over 20 years, Mukandoli explained that the stability is partly due to the absence of quarantine restrictions, which in past festive seasons significantly reduced cattle supply.
“This time, we are not affected by quarantine measures, which previously limited the number of animals reaching the abattoir,” she noted.
She added that although fewer cattle are currently arriving from major cattle corridors, the reduction has not been severe enough to trigger sharp price increases.
Other butchers echoed similar views. Semuju Edrine, a butcher at the city abattoir, said the usual Christmas excitement has not translated into higher demand or prices this year.
“The Christmas mood is there, but it has not strongly reflected in meat prices or sales,” he said.
According to traders, while offal prices have generally declined, liver prices have risen slightly, reflecting shifting consumer demand during the festive season.
However, butchers expressed concern over transport challenges, warning that delays in delivering cattle and meat could still disrupt supply as Christmas draws closer. They cautioned that prolonged transport issues could push prices higher if supply tightens further.
Meanwhile, experts have urged consumers to exercise caution when purchasing meat during the festive period, advising families to buy only from certified and inspected outlets to ensure food safety.
As Ugandans prepare to celebrate Christmas, traders say shoppers should expect to spend slightly more than usual—but far less than during last year’s festive surge.
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