Prices of food items in the Wa market are soaring on a daily basis with traders attributing the trend to the high production cost and transport fares.
Currently, a bowl of maize, which used to cost about GH¢5.00 the same period last year is now sold at GH¢10.00 while a bowl of local rice sold between GH¢12.00 and Gh¢13.00 the same period last year now sells between GH¢14 to GH¢15.00.
This came to light during a visit to the market by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Thursday.
Currently, a 100kg bag of maize is sold at GH¢400.00 as against GH¢200.00 same period last year.
Some of the market women, who spoke to the GNA, said the prices of the commodities were unstable, saying, “The price keeps changing every day.”
“Yesterday, for instance, a bowl of local rice was GH¢14.00 but today it is GH¢15.00, so tomorrow the price can change again,” they said.
Madame Sahadatu Abu, a trader at the Wa Fadama Market, said, “Because last year the prices were low everybody could afford the maize, so we had a good market but this year because the prices are high people are not buying.”
Also, Mr Abdulai Ango, a livestock seller at the Wa Fadama Market, told the GNA that the price of livestock had also increased astronomically partly due to the seasonal changes as well as the cost of transportation.
He said the prices were cheaper in the rainy season as compared to the dry season and that currently, the average cost of a goat is GH¢500.00.
“I use a motorbike to the village to buy the animals, so if I buy a goat for GH¢100.00 and I want to make GH¢20.00 profit, I add GH¢30.00 to cover the fuel cost.
“At first I could use GH¢20.00 fuel to Dabo market and back but now I buy between GH¢30.00 to GH¢40.00 worth of fuel,” he explained.
In Tumu in the Sissalla East Municipality, the commodity prices are also on the increase.
A bowl of white and yellow maize, which used to cost GH₵6.00 in 2021 now sells at GH₵8.00.
The price of Soya beans has moved from GH₵10.00 per bowl to GH₵14 while a bowl of millet that was sold for GH₵10.00 is now going for GH₵14.00.
A bowl of groundnut was sold between GH¢12 and GH¢13 last year now sells between GH¢15 and GH¢20, depending on quality.
For ruminants, the big goat sells at GH₵300.00 in 2021 but is now sold at around GH₵450.00. A small goat which was sold for 150 last year now sells at GH₵250. Sheep of small size were sold for GH₵300 but both the big and small are sold up to GH₵1000.00.
A calf sells GH₵1000 to GH¢1200 last year now sells between GH₵2000 and GH₵3,000.00.
A fowl was sold for 25.00 but now sold up to GH₵50.00 to GH₵ 70.00 whilst Guinea fowl, which was sold for GH₵45 to GH₵50.00 now sells at GH₵60 to GH₵70.00.
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