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Traders in the central Bolgatanga market in the Upper East region have expressed concern about rising prices of food products during the harvest season from September to October 2020.
According to traders, complaints from farmers indicate a poor harvest due to the negative impact of the coronavirus and the recent floods that destroyed many farms in the Upper East and Northeast regions.
Market women said the low supply has created competition among traders due to poor food availability.
During a survey conducted by the Ghana News Agency to determine the prices of food products during the current harvest season, traders expressed fear that prices would continue to rise in November and beyond.
A peanut vendor, Patience Atiawine, said that the price of the standard bowl or ‘alonka’ of peanuts had increased from GH ¢ 12.00 between July and August to GH ¢ 15.00 in October this year.
He noted that the coronavirus and the lockdown had had an impact on their businesses and indicated that while some of the restrictions had been lifted, they were still experiencing low patronage.
He called on the district assembly to support them with loans to keep them in business.
Another woman who sells various food products including peanuts, millet and corn, Elizabeth Balayon, said that a bowl of millet that cost ¢ 6.00 GH between July and August had risen to 10.00 GH between September and October.
According to her, corn, which was sold at GH ¢ 3.50, is currently sold at GH ¢ 5.00.
The story was no different from that of a yam vendor, Zeyaba Azeba, she said that three yam tubers that were sold for GH ¢ 15.00 had increased to GH ¢ 20.00.
Speaking of fresh tomatoes, a saleswoman, Doris Adongo, said that the vegetable was cheaper as the price had been reduced from GH ¢ 5.00 for four pieces to GH ¢ 2.00.
However, he complained that due to low prices, tomatoes are rotting because customers don’t buy much.
Another tomato seller, Francisca Abota, said that a container of tomatoes that used to sell for GH ¢ 105.00 accumulated a profit of more than 100 percent in July, but is currently selling for GH ¢ 80.00 per container in the market.
He said the current source of tomatoes on the market was Tongo and Bongo in the Region, but the vegetable was brought in from Techiman in the Bono East Region, earlier, in June and July.
Ms. Abota asked the District Assembly to build more dams for farmers, not only for agriculture in the dry season, but also to be used in the rainy season when there were dry periods.
He also appealed to the Assembly to provide credit facilities to those engaged in agriculture to supplement their income.
