Sunyani records sharp increase in Christmas consumables

Traders in Sunyani, the Bono Regional Capital, have experienced high sales of Christmas consumables, as the season sets in, a Ghana News Agency (GNA) market survey has revealed.

Traders at the Central Business District (CBD) said they were happy about the high demand for Christmas products and expected sales to rise by the 24th of December.

The demand for oil, rice, tomato paste, and soft drinks have increased compared to last year's festivity, Madam Nasta Abass, a shop keeper, said on Monday.

“Business is booming and we are extremely excited. Though prices for commodities have seen a slight increase, buyers are patronising, few of them sometimes complain, however,” she added.

Currently, the market price of five kilos of rice, she said, ranged from GHC65.00 and GHC32.00 instead of the previous GHC60 and GHC27, while that of five litres of oil and one litre was between GHC55 and GHC10 respectively.

Previously, market prices for oil at the CBD hovered around GHC8 and GHC50 for one litre and five litres respectively.

Dealers in Christmas toys and guns told the GNA that they had been encouraging as compared to the last season.

“I can now sell about 80 pieces of baby toys, guns and ribbons every day and price bargaining is not common nowadays,” Philomena Abenaa Kwakye, said.

Dealers in vegetables, including tomatoes, pepper and onions at the CBD have also been having a field day.

They said buyers from neighbouring Burkina Faso patronised the items in bulk, and if that continued it could lead to shortage of vegetables in the season.