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With the current hike in prices of commodities over the past few years , Ghanaians were not expecting reduction of commodities sooner or later. However in a surprising turn of events, tomatoes prices has seen a drastic reduction.
At the Agbogbloshie and other main markets in the Country, have seen a significPrices of these perishable commodities which skyrocketd few months back has been reduced.
Over the preceeding months prices of commodities such as tomatoes, pepper onions among others witnessed price surges. Both retailers and consumers alike felt the pinch, many households were forced to adjust their comsumption budgets to accommodate the inflated prices hence bankruptcy.
But to the elation of many, this few weeks have welcomed a change to both retailers and consumers. Attributable factors, which could include the vegetable being in season, may have contributed to the drastc reduction in prices of the vegetable crop, a sharp contrast to the exorbitant hikes experienced merely a month ago. Speaking to the Media at the Agbogbloshie market, Comfort Annor, a tomato retailer, revealed that the new prices are causing significant purchases.
“Currently, other local tomatoes are priced at GH₵60, but a small paint bucket full of tomatoes from Navrongo is now selling at GH₵70. Previously, tomatoes from Navrongo were sold in small paint buckets for GH₵150, while other local tomatoes were sold between GH₵100 to GH₵120. They are currently being sold at GH₵60, but if we can negotiate a decent wholesale price, we could sell them for GH₵50,” the woman added.
Although this decline was seen to provide some sort of release for traders and consumers alike, it has instead put retailers in a difficult position since they now find it difficult to draw in more sales.
Many retailers inform me that clients are asking for even further cuts, which if approved will hurt their profit margins.
Because tomatoes are in abundance this season, customers offer to buy them for GH₵20–30 instead of the normal GH₵50 for a small paint bucket. These tiny and medium-sized bowls used to retail for GH₵30, but they are now only GH₵10. Customers aren’t buying despite it.
“We currently charge between GH₵1,500 and GH₵2,000 for a carton of tomatoes that was formerly priced at GH₵7,000. The smaller crates are now being sold between GH₵700 and 800. Previously, they sold for between GH₵3,500 and 4,000. A tomato retailer named Dede Bibioo also told the Press, “The wholesalers have lowered their prices, but we are now having trouble finding buyers.”
The lower cost of tomatoes is alleviating consumers of financial strain when it comes to buying the produce. They expect more cuts in the upcoming months.
Sulemana Nasiru stated, “Vegetables and tomatoes will come down in price when fuel prices reduce.”
There is more of a need than ever to sell because there are tons of tomatoes that could go bad. The government needs to invest in factories to process raw tomatoes and work to ensure year-round tomato farming in order to lower the high prices that some tomato retailers record during specific months.
