Butchers capitalize on Christmas to hype prices

Takoradi, Dec. 29, GNA - Butchers in the Takoradi market circle are capitalizing on the recent outbreak of Bird Flu in parts of the country to reduce the size of meat as many people were opting for mutton and beef.

The Ghana News Agency visited the butchers' shop on Boxing Day and many people who had bought mutton and beef complained about the quantity and blamed the butchers for cashing in on the high patronage.

In an interview with the GNA, some customers said the recent outbreak of Bird Flu in parts of the country had scared them with regards to chicken, hence the option for mutton and beef.

However, a butcher refuted the customers' claim and showed the scale they had been using for their daily sales to the GNA.

Sellers of live fowls on the hand indicated that sales were not encouraging as previous years. Some however expressed optimism that it would improve following the announcement about the wholesomeness of chicken, as the issue of the bird disease had been solved.

Interestingly, fish that could be substituted for meat was expensive as small pieces of fresh 'kpanla' and red fish went for GH¢10, while three medium sizes of cassava fish sold at GH¢20.

Equally, traders of food stuffs had drastically reduced the quantities of their wares, blaming it on the high price at their sources of supply.

Three small pieces of cassava went for GH¢5.00, tubers of yams ranged from GH¢6 to GH¢10 depending on the size, while prices of vegetables like carrots, cucumber, garden-eggs, pepper, nkontomire and others had also gone up.

However, in spite of the high prices, the principal streets were full of carnivals by masqueraders who had blocked parts of the roads for entertainment purposes.

The carnival created both pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the town as the masqueraders who were in groups went on a procession through the suburbs followed by children.

GNA