Traders at the Bolgatanga Central market have expressed worry over the continuous rise in the prices of food products. They said they are forced to sell at different prices each market day to cover the costs of transportation and storage while also making paltry profits to cater for their families. The traders indicated that the price hikes could be attributed to the prices of petroleum products.
Speaking with A1 Radio on the Day Break Upper East Show, the traders said the increase in the prices of food products while arbitrary, is not something they have control over. The sentiments of the traders at the markets are in direct contradiction of comments by the Minister of Food and Agriculture.
It would be recalled that the Minister Dr. Afriyie Akoto rubbised concerns that prices of food products were on the high. The minister indicated that data available to him at the Ministry show a ‘tumbling’ reduction in prices of food commodities at various markets across the country. The Minister’s comments were corroborated by the Upper East Regional Director of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Francis Enno. Mr. Enno suggested that prices of food products on the markets are on a constant decline.
When A1 Radio visited the Bolgatanga Central Market as part of efforts to fact-check the comments of the Minister, it came to light that prices are on the ascendancy rather than on the decline as suggested by the Minister.
A bowl of maize currently retails for 8ghc while the price of a bag of maize sells for between 260 and 280ghc. Meanwhile, ‘old’ maize is sold at 320ghc. Traders sell beans in variation; a small bowl retails for 20ghc, a medium bowl 24ghc with the large bowl selling for between 30 and 35ghc. A bag of beans is sold between 1000 and 1400ghc. A bowl of rice goes for 17ghc while the bag is sold from a base price of 600ghc.
A1Radioonline.com|101.1MHz| Diana Quansah & Kennedy Yinmalya Zongbil|Ghana
