Our economic livelihoods are collapsing – Ginger sellers

Ginger sellers at the ‘MasomMasom’ Market in Sunyani have called for government intervention to sustain their economic livelihoods.

They expressed worry that their economic activities were on the verge of collapse due to the scarcity of ginger and the sharp increment in the price of the root vegetable.

During a visit to the daily market, the traders told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) market survey that scarcity of the ginger had contributed to the rise in prices, saying that they now bought a bag of ginger at GH¢5,500.

Auntie Esi, a popular ginger seller, noted that the price had even decreased, saying that in the last season a bag of ginger was selling at GH¢7,000 at the farmgate.

Here’s how much OSP recovered to protect public funds

She attributed the shortage and the price hikes partly to the growing activities of the herbal medicine producers who bought the ginger in commercial quantities for their herbal products.

“The growers now prefer to sell ginger to the herbal doctor to get a good price,” Auntie Esi said, indicating that their businesses were gradually collapsing because the sellers could not compete with the herbal medicine in pricing.

 Another trader, Leticia Amponsah Gyan, said because they priced the sale of ginger between GH¢10 and GH¢20 several consumers had always been reluctant to buy them.