Prices of food stuffs up in Navrongo and its environs

Traders in and around the Navrongo Municipality are outraged about the dramatic increase in food stuffs and other consumables on the market. 

The area popularly noted for its mass production of tomatoes and other vegetables is currently in short supply. 

The scarcity of the said vegetables had resulted in a marginal increase of the produce, thereby making it difficult for market women to make out with any meaningful profit.

A box of tomato which used to sell at 300 Ghana Cedis in June last year is now going for 500 Ghana Cedis. 

Interestingly, a bowl of rice that use to be sold at 8 Ghana cedis at same time last year now goes for 10 Ghana cedis. 

Bowl of beans now goes for GHC 10 per a instead of 8 Ghana cedis. Other items including groundnut are also affected by the price hike. 

A bowl of groundnut goes for 10 Ghana cedis as against 8 Ghana cedis. 

Gari which is considered one of the cheapest items on the market can be bought at 8 Ghana cedis but use to sell at 5 Ghana cedis. 

When Radio Ghana visited the Navrongo Market, few people were spotted transacting business with others moving from one table to the other with expectation of getting cheaper prices. 

Few that spoke with Radio Ghana complained about poor sales and attributed the cause to the prevailing economic hardship. 

They were discontent about the state of the economy and pleaded with the leadership of the country to work towards bringing the economy under control. 

They are of the view that if people are working and receiving appreciable salaries at the end of the day, no matter how expensive things are, they will be compelled to buy. 

Others also lamented on the difficulties they face when going about their businesses. 

According to them, there are not enough sheds for them to sit comfortably under and make sales. During rainy seasons, they are forced to halt business and seek refuge elsewhere till the rains subsides. 

They are however, calling on the assembly to come to their aid by providing suitable sheds for them transact business and service their clients’ appropriately. 

One other major concern raised by the women was about farmers’ preference in selling out their farm produce direct to buyers who are mainly from the south of the country. 

This situation, to claim was affecting their business especially for those who do not have enough money to buy the produce. 

They identified the selling of tomatoes as a key ingredient in their line of business, hence the need for farmers to support the growth of their businesses and assist them make a living. 

They also touched on the need for government channel its attention to the construction and desilting of dams in the area since the only irrigation dam serving the whole of the municipality often dries up during the dry season. 

One key area they moreover identified was about the poor road infrastructure linking the various farm gates to the markets. 

The deplorable nature of the roads affects their business activities so much that drivers take undue advantage of their vulnerability to exhort and demand high transport fares. 

Local rice sellers on the other hand said they are running out of business as consumers prefer the foreign rice to the local ones. 

They are therefore adding their voice to calls for government reduce the bills on foreign imports or importantly place a permanent ban on the importation of these foreign rice into the country. 

They charged Ghanaians support their cause and consume made in Ghana products especially the local rice.

GBC