Prices of foodstuffs go up in the wake of fuel price hikes

Prices of food items have seen an appreciable increase in the past few days. It follows the recent hikes in petroleum prices.

Tomato, plantain, cassava, fish and many others cost a little more today than they did a week ago.

Joy News' Beatrice Adu visited the Agbogbloshie Market in Accra and reports that a paint container-full of tomatoes which sold for six Ghana Cedis, now sells at eight Ghana cedis. A crate of tomatoes which was being sold at GH¢220 is now GH¢270, with a bag of garden eggs selling at GH¢70, up from GH¢60.

Beatrice Adu said virtually every food item in the market had attracted a marginal increase in price.

A Home Economist and lecturer at the Family and Consumer Sciences Department of the University of Ghana, Elizabeth Baama, said the government must introduce measures to cushion consumers against the food price increases.

She also advised women to be flexible in their purchase decisions and choose foods that are cheap but nutritious.

For example she said consumers can rely on legumes and plant products which are good source of protein and which are cheap as opposed to animal products which are comparatively expensive.