Esoko-GNA market commodity prices

Accra, July 12, GNA -   The weekly Esoko-GNA market survey conducted in major Regional centres in the country on Friday revealed that while the prices of some commodities recorded a reduction during the current week as against the previous week, others saw a marginal increase.

In some instances, commodity prices remained unchanged as at Friday, remaining at the same levels as they were last week. For instance, a sack of onions which sold at GH₵250 last week in Agbogbloshie, Mallam Atta, Madina and other market centres in Accra went for GH₵270 on Friday.

A large crate of tomatoes which was selling at GH₵430.00 two weeks ago, dropped to GH₵400.00 on Friday. Similarly, a bag of cowpea went for GH₵200.00 last week but sold at GH₵180.00 as at Friday.

The prices of some food items such as rice, wheat, maize, and pepper have however remained the same in most markets in Accra this week. In Koforidua, prices of food commodities continued to drop this week as compared to the previous weeks. The situation has been attributed to the onset of rains, as well as the beginning of the current harvest season.

Prices of foodstuffs such as cassava, cocoyam, and plantain that went high in previous weeks on the market have now dropped.

For example cassava and cocoyam that were heaped for GHc 5.00 as the minimum in the past two weeks, sold for GHc1 and GHc2 on Friday depending on the quantity. The price of yam remained high as compared to price levels that prevailed a couple of weeks ago. This has been attributed to the fact that the old stock is now running out of supply, whiles the newly harvested yam is also scarce and expensive.

About a fortnight ago, a small tuber of yam was sold for GH₵5.00 whiles a big size went for GH₵ 7.00. On Friday, however, the new yam is selling at GH₵ 6.00 for the small and GH₵ 10.00 for the big size.

Dry smoked fish which was packed at four pieces for GH₵10.00 is now being sold for GH₵2.00 and GH5₵.00 for the same quantity whiles garden eggs, okro, pepper, kontomire, cabbage and green pepper have also experienced further drop in prices.

Prices of some local commodities in the two main markets in the Tamale Metropolis have increased slightly while others remained stable this week.

In the Tamale central and Aboabo markets, the prices of beans, onions, soya beans and yam have increased marginally. Others remained stable while millet decreased by 50 pesewas.

An Olonka of groundnuts, which was sold for GH₵9.00 the previous week is now sold at GH₵6.00 this week.

Maize currently sells at GH₵1.50, same price as last week.  Sorghum which sold at GH₵ 2.50 last week still remained at the same price on Friday.                                

However, millet which sold at GH₵3 per bowl or 'Olonka' measure last week now goes for GH₵2.50                 

Prices of foodstuffs at the Kotokuraba market in Cape Coast also remained stable for three consecutive weeks, a situation attributed mainly to the rainfall pattern in the hinterlands.

A visit to the market on Friday morning, it was revealed that with the exception of onions whose price had gone up slightly, the prices of other commodities remained the same.

Some market women explained that it was difficult to preserve perishable commodities like tomato and onions during the rainy season, hence the commodity often became slightly expensive during this time of the year.

The prices the women said will soon become drop significantly because the onset of rains would also imply the harvest of abundant fresh foodstuffs.

Generally, commodity prices in the other regional centres reflected similar trends, with prices either taking a slight dip or marginal increase in some areas, whiles in other areas they remained at the same level as the previous weeks.

GNA