Local commodity prices fluctuates at major markets

The weekly market survey conducted by Ghana News Agency across major markets in Accra on Friday discovered that prices fluctuated with some commodities, a situation attributed to numerous factors.

Scores of traders attributed the unsteady prices to the volatility of the local currency against other currencies, the weather conditions, cost of transportation and other economic index.

The GNA team, however, observed that in some instances, commodity prices remained unchanged as at Friday, remaining at the same levels as last week.

At the Osu Market, Madam Theresa Teiko, a trader, stated: “Yam is currently expensive because it is out of season” adding that very soon it will come in abundant and the price would fall.

She however added that the price of Gari has reduce because of the recent heavy rainfall which causes some cassava to spoil when kept for long, hence the need to process it to Gari.

An “Olonka” of Gari which used to be sold for GHC8.00 has now dropped to GHC7.00.

“Olonka” of local rice still stands at GHC2.50; the price of a tuber of yam now ranges from GHC7.00 to GHC15.00 instead of the previous price of GHC5.00 to GHC10.00.

Three figures of fresh plantain is sold for GHC5.00 and five and six figures of ripe plantain is being priced at GHC10.00; and a crate of tomatoes still ranges from GHC500.00 to GHC600.00 and small containers goes for GHC25.00 and GHC30.00.

Bag of onion ranges from GHC300.00 to GHC400.00 depending on the sizes and a small bag of garden eggs have fallen from GHC150.00 to GHC100.00.

At the Nima Market, Hajia Samira Yahaya, a cereal and grain trader told the GNA that “we are still maintaining the prices of goods for now, but one cannot really say when things will change.

“I fear the prices might increase due to all that has been happening these days on the economic front, which has affected the cost of transporting the goods from the hinterlands”.

A sack of Millet is sold at GHC280.00 and GHC9.00 per Olonka; Sorghum goes for GHC250.00 per sack and GHC8.00 for the Olonka; Wheat is sold at GHC280.00 per sack and the Olonka is GHC7.00; and grinded wheat is GHC140.00 per sack and GHC6.00 for one olonka.

A bag of Maize goes for GHC 270.00 and GHC 5 per Olonka; a sack of Groundnut ranges between GHC550.00 to GHC600.00 and Olonka goes for GHC13.00.

The price of a sack of onions ranges between GHC275.00 to GHC350.00; a crate of Navrongo tomato ranges between GHC550.00 to GHC620.00 whilst the local tomato ranges between GHC250.00 to GHC370.00.

A bucket of corn dough ranges between GHC12.00 to GHC18.00 depending on the size of the bucket, whilst the price of cassava dough, depending on the size of the sack, ranges between GHC355.00 to GHC760.00.

At the Kaneshie Market, a crate of Navrongo tomatoes goes between GHC700.00 to GHC800.00 and a small paint bucket was between GHC10.00 to GHC20.00, a sack of onion was sold at GHC350.00 and a small paint bucket between GHC10.00 to GHC20.00; and a sack of cassava goes between GHC70.00 to GHC90.00.

An ‘’Olonka’’ of millet, wheat, sorghum and groundnut went for GHC8.00, GHC12.00, GHC8.00 and GHC14.00 respectively. A big bag of perfumed rice was sold between GHC250.00 and GHC300.00 and a big bag of local rice was GHC250.00, whilst Olonka of local brown rice was GHC10.00 and GHC15.00 for the local white rice.

At the Mallam Atta Market, a bag of onions which used to sell for as low as GHC180.00 some time ago, now sells between GHC280.00 and GHC370.00; a crate of local tomatoes ranges from GHC300.00 to GHC350.00 with the “olonka” ranging from GHC5.00 to GHC20.00 depending on the size of the “Olonka”.

A bag of maize which sold for GHC280.00 last week, still sells at the same price as a sack of cassava dough ranges from GHC350.00 to GHC750.00, depending on the size of the sack.

An “Olonka” of beans still stands at GHC18.00 and an “Olonka” of groundnut still remained at GHC13.00.

At the Makola Market, Navrongo tomatoes, which sold between GHC250.00 and GHC300.00, now stands at a range of GHC350.00 and GHC450.00; Onions, which were sold last week between GHC350.00 and GHC360 now goes between GHC360.00 and GHC380.00 whilst a big sized basket is priced at GHC560.00 and GHC20.00 for a small basket.