Rumonge : poor harvest causes soaring tangerine prices

SOS Médias Burundi

Rumonge, June 5, 2026 – Tangerine prices have risen sharply in the Kizuka zone of ​​Rumonge district, Burunga province, in southwestern Burundi, during this harvest season. This situation is worrying both consumers and street vendors, who are complaining about a decrease in their purchasing power and the difficulty of making their businesses profitable.

According to several producers interviewed in the area, this price surge is mainly due to a significant drop in production this year. Many tangerine trees did not bear fruit despite the harvest period.

Prices have increased sharply in the markets of Minago, Rutumo, and Magara. A basket of tangerines that sold for 2,000 Burundian francs last year now sells for 5,000 francs, while one that cost 5,000 francs is currently going for nearly 10,000 francs.

Producers cite several reasons for this drop in yield, including diseases that have affected some orchards. They also point to a lack of fertilizers and insufficient pesticides to protect the fruit trees, believing these factors explain this year’s decline in production.

Street vendors, for their part, say they are operating at a loss. They explain that several tangerine orchards were rented at high prices in the hope of a good harvest, but the yield has fallen short of expectations.

Residents of the region are calling on authorities and agricultural services to strengthen support for producers, particularly by facilitating access to fertilizers and treatments to improve fruit production.

They are also requesting better monitoring of orchards to limit losses due to disease and ensure greater price stability in local markets.