Prices of new foodstuffs in the Bolgatanga Central Market in the Upper East Region have decreased, a Ghana News Agency survey has indicated.
Traders attributed the reduction in prices of this year’s foodstuffs to low demand as the last three months of the year were the harvest period with most people still having their produce in stock.
However, the prices of foodstuffs cultivated last year were still expensive and the traders explained that they bought the foodstuffs at higher prices last year and could not afford to make loses.
Madam Atiamah Akugre, a maize seller told the GNA in an interview that maize which was presently sold at GH¢ 4.00 per bowl, an equivalent of one ‘alonka’ and between GH¢ 160.00 and GH¢ 200.00 per maxi bag, was at mid- year, sold at GH¢ 5.00 per bowl, and between GH¢ 200.00 and GH¢ 250.00 per maxi bag.
A bag of groundnut presently sells at GH¢ 480.00 and GH¢ 600.00 from the mid- year price of GH¢ 560.00 and GH¢ 700.00 respectively, depending on the variety and quality.
A bowl of beans now goes for GH¢ 9.00 per bowl and GH¢ 360.00 to GH¢ 450.00 per maxi bag, while the mid- year price was GH¢ 11.00 per bowl and GH¢ 440.00 to GH¢ 550 per maxi bag.
However, prices of vegetable produce such as onions, tomatoes and pepper showed an increase and Madam Rashida Sumaila, a pepper seller, explained that it was due to the heavy rains that did not subside early enough for farmers to harvest and preserve.
She further attributed the high prices of the vegetable produce to the severe flooding that the region recorded this year which was made worst by the spillage of the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso that destroyed large hectors of farms.
GNA