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\u00a25.00 the same period last year is now sold at GH\u00a210.00 while a bowl of local rice sold between GH\u00a212.00 and Gh\u00a213.00 the same period last year now sells between GH\u00a214 to GH\u00a215.00.
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\u00a2400.00 as against GH\u00a2200.00 same period last year.\u202f
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.\u201d
\u201cYesterday, for instance, a bowl of local rice was GH\u00a214.00 but today it is GH\u00a215.00, 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.”\u202f
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\u00a2500.00.
“I use a motorbike to the village to buy the animals, so if I buy a goat for GH\u00a2100.00 and I want to make GH\u00a220.00 profit, I add GH\u00a230.00 to cover the fuel cost.\u202f
\u201cAt first I could use GH\u00a220.00 fuel to Dabo market and back but now I buy between GH\u00a230.00 to GH\u00a240.00 worth of fuel,” he explained.
\u202fIn Tumu in the Sissalla East Municipality, the commodity prices are also on the increase.
\u202fA bowl of white and yellow maize, which used to cost GH\u20b56.00 in 2021 now sells at GH\u20b58.00.
\u202fThe price of Soya beans has moved from GH\u20b510.00\u202fper bowl to\u202fGH\u20b514 while a bowl of millet that was sold for GH\u20b510.00 is now going for GH\u20b514.00.
\u202fA bowl of groundnut was sold between GH\u00a212 and GH\u00a213 last year now sells between GH\u00a215 and GH\u00a220, depending on quality.
\u202fFor ruminants, the big goat sells at GH\u20b5300.00 in 2021 but is now sold at around GH\u20b5450.00. A small goat\u202fwhich was sold for 150 last year now sells at GH\u20b5250. Sheep of small size were sold for GH\u20b5300 but both the big and small are sold up to GH\u20b51000.00.
\u202fA calf sells GH\u20b51000 to GH\u00a21200\u202flast year now sells between GH\u20b52000 and GH\u20b53,000.00.
\u202fA fowl was sold for 25.00 but now sold up to GH\u20b550.00 to GH\u20b5 70.00 whilst Guinea fowl, which was sold for GH\u20b545 to GH\u20b550.00 now sells at GH\u20b560 to GH\u20b570.00.<\/p>\n\n\n\n