Expect increase in food prices - Ghana Chamber of Agribusiness warns

The Ghana Chamber of Agribusiness has warned the general public to expert an increment in food prices due to the persistent increase in prices of petroleum products over time that has culminated in at least a 10% hike in transport fares.

CEO for the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana, Anthony S.K Morrison in a statement said “this increase in transport fares isn't only for commuters including our poor farmers, it will also heavily affect the cost of transportation of farm produce from the hinterlands and farm gates to the Urban and market centers. This obviously will reflect in the cost/prices of food and agricultural products across the country.

“Because petroleum prices are often the precipitations for general price hikes resulting in higher cost of living, farmers will have no option than to also increase prices of their produce by a commensurate margin to enable them cope with the general price rise including input cost and cost of living”, Mr. S.K Morrison lamented.

He further added that Ghanaian farmers are bringing this to the attention of the general consuming public and the government because they expected some amount of cushion to have been introduced by government to protect the consumer and the poor farmers at the same time.

He then said “Government's inability to introduce some interventions leaves the farmers with no choice than to also increase prices across board otherwise, their purchasing power and standard of living will be eroded and their quality of life reduced.”