Good afternoon. In Quelimane, tomatoes are rotting in the fields and at the wholesale market because farmers and traders cannot find buyers before their produce spoils. But this is not simply a problem with tomatoes, or with Quelimane. Across Mozambique, farmers and traders struggle to get perishable agricultural products to market and sell them before they deteriorate. At a time when many Mozambican families struggle to afford food, the waste is particularly troubling.
According to Notícias, producers and traders in Quelimane complain of transport shortages, high freight costs and inadequate storage. One trader reported paying MZN700 ($11) for a basket of tomatoes in Gorongosa, plus MZN250 ($3.91) to transport it to Quelimane, only to see the produce deteriorate after three days without buyers. By then, recovering even the original investment becomes difficult.
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The example illustrates a broader weakness in Mozambique's agricultural supply chains, affecting different products and regions. Poor roads and expensive transport are familiar obstacles. But they are not the whole explanation. The problem also raises questions about how agricultural markets function, particularly how producers, wholesalers and retailers respond when supply exceeds demand.
In a functioning market, an excess of perishable produce should lead to falling prices. Selling at a discount before goods spoil may be preferable to losing the entire stock. Yet traders can be reluctant to accept prices below what they paid, even when the alternative is receiving nothing.
