Kumasi traders indifferent about Christmas sales

Traders within the Kumasi Metropolis have expressed mixed opinions about their expectations of a boom in this year’s Christmas sales.

As some were expecting sales to rise, others were indifferent and highly pessimistic.

Most traders interviewed by Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Kumasi expressed low optimism of any increase in sales return due to the country’s liquidity and energy crisis affecting the demand for goods and services.

Madam Faustina Mensah and Cecilia Oboh, who sell tubers of yam and pepper at the Asafo Market said their sales had not increased significantly compared to the same period in 2014.

They complained of break-even sales within the last 11 months of 2015, and believed that this mirrored what would happen during the yuletide just inching very close as the current economy shows little sign of improvement.

They argued prices of goods had gone up marginally, adding, that the price of four tubers of yam and an “olonka” of pepper had risen from GH?10.00, to GH?15.00 GH? 2.00 to GH?5.00 respectively, yet demand was low.

GNA gathered from the market research from Kejetia, Asafo, Abinkyie and Ejisu that prices of goods had gone up marginally, since August -five months before Christmas.

At the said markets, salted fish “Koobi’’ (five big sizes) shot up from GH? 25.00 – GH?30.00 palm oil (One litre bottle) GH?7.00 – GH?8.00 Gari ‘‘Olonka’’ GH?5.00 – GH?8.00, Tomatoes GH?10.00 – GH?15.00, seven pieces of garden eggs GH? 1.50.00 – GH?3.00, “Ada” non- iodised salt ‘‘Olonka’’ GH?3.00 – GH?.5 00 and Coconut from GH?1.00 – GH?1.50.00, for one medium size.

Another trader Matilda Amoanda, who sells assorted drinks, at race-course market told the GNA that sales were normal and said they expected nothing more due to the new market’s remote location, insanitary conditions and porous security- a fact contributing its low patronage.

However, some operators of cold stores within the Asafo, Kejetia and Adum business enclave said they expected dwindling sales and ascribed this to the unending energy crisis.

They claimed their businesses were collapsing due to the inability of the government to fix the energy crisis leaving them with no other option than the use of fuel-powered generator sets to run their businesses.

Mr Daniel Boadi, one of the cold store operators said ‘I will be out of business soon because cost of fuel to power my generator is eating up my working capital’

He prayed the government to reduce import duties on goods especially poultry to enable Ghanaians enjoy their juicy chicken Christmas delicacy which had become extremely expensive for the layman.

At the Kumasi Abattoir ‘‘Mayanka’’ the largest Abattoir serving the entire Region, officials at the slaughter house told the GNA that sales had decreased considerably compared to same period last year but was hopeful of sales increase during the upcoming Christmas festivities.

Mr Yakubu Salifu said he had slaughtered 60 cows during the same period last year but this had decreased to 11 as at November 10, 2015.