File photo: Importers of tomatoe have declared an indefinite strike over robbery attacks
The prices of tomatoes are likely to go up in the coming days due to a nationwide strike by the importers of the vegetable.
According to the importers, this is to protest against the high rate of violence and robbery attacks on traders across the highways of the nation following the recent attack on the Bolgatanga-Tamale highway last weekend.
Speaking to some traders at the central business district of Accra, they predicted that the likelihood of tomatoes shortage is high and this is going to affect business because their trade-counterparts in the other countries of the sub-region from whom they purchase their tomatoes are currently afraid to export products to them.
“The tomatoes are likely to go out of stock soon because since last week that we ordered for some, we haven’t even received it yet, it was supposed to come today but our business partners in Burkina Faso have refused to export it to us because of the rampant robbery attacks on us the traders. It is very worrying and something must be done about it before it is too late, the government must deploy Military men to the highways to protect the lives of we the traders, if we are not careful, there will be a shortage of tomatoes by next week” the traders lamented.
Meanwhile, prices of yam have also gone up in the market five weeks into the first quarter of the 2021 trading year. A tuber of yam which was sold at a price of GH¢7.00 as of December 2020, is now selling at GH¢13.00 per tuber.
As of January 2021, the price went up a little over GH¢2.00 and was trading at GH¢9.00 but prior to the end of the month, it shot up by a margin price of GH¢4.00 leading to a price increment by traders.
