Prices of foodstuff up in Accra

Prices of foodstuff have gone up slightly in some markets in Accra.

Visits by the Ghana News Agency to the Anyaa, Mallam, and the CMB markets on Thursday, revealed that the prices had shot up because some foodstuffs are out of season.

Cassava, yam, and plantain are the main crops affected by the price hike.

Madam Florence Akoto, a Yam seller at Anyaa Market, said the demand for yam was high but due to the price rise, they were not able to purchase much from suppliers.

“This happens every year because there are seasons and times for everything and this should have been a dry season where the ground becomes difficult to dig or break up the soil leading to scarcity of such food items on the market,” she said.

Madam Grace Okailey, a plantain seller at Mallam market, also said plantain was not in abundance hence the change in prices.

She appealed to consumers to manage what was available on the market and bear with them in terms of the prices.

Auntie Ataa Badu, a farmer who supplies plantain to some market women, said plantain was not on the market because it was out of season, adding that the higher prices were not deliberate.

“Every market day is payday for me because I have enough to sell, but now when I go to the farm, I don’t get much, and it is a waste of transport and not getting anything in return, so I hardly go nowadays.”

At the Cocoa Marketing Board (CMB) market, the story was not different.

The traders complained that the scarcity of plantain had slowed down their business activities, apart from the negative impact of COVID-19.

Madam Akua Nipaa, a plantain supplier within the CMB yard, said she used to supply about three cars of plantain a week, but the situation has changed, and that she struggled to get a car.

“This place is always busy during plantain seasons at a cheaper cost, but as you can see now, it is as if nothing goes on here and those we have available are quite expensive,” she added.

The GNA observed that a branch of plantain, which was sold between GH¢ 12.00 and GH¢ 20.00 is now being sold between GH¢ 18.00 and GH¢ 25.00.

Three medium-size fingers of plantain are being sold at GH¢ 5.00, with a tuber of yam (Puna), which was sold between GH¢ 7.00 to GH¢ 8.00, now going between GH¢12.00 to GH¢ 15.00.