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Traders in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have attributed the marginal Price increase of foodstuff to the outbreak of COVID-19.

According to them people did panic buying, resulting in high demand for foodstuff thereby making traders to capitalize on the situation to increase the prices of their items.

A visit to the Takoradi market circle by GNA indicated that prices of many items had marginally increased.

According to Ms Senyo Amegashie, a provisions shop owner, prices of rice, tomato paste, flour and oil had all increased.

She said for instance, before the COVID-19, a 5kg bag of rice was sold between GH¢25.00 and GH¢30.00, but was now sold between GH¢30.00 and GH¢40.00.

The price of five sizable tubers of Cassava, which was sold for GH¢2.00 now goes for GH¢5.00, with three fingers of plantain moving from GH¢2.00 to GH¢5.00.

Five pieces of fresh tomatoes, which was sold for GH¢2.00 is now GH¢5.00, while three sizable fresh fish was between GH¢5.00 and 10.00 now going for GH¢7.00 and above with one smoked Tuna fish going from GH¢15.00 to GH¢18.00

A quantity of smoked herring was between GH¢2.00 and GH¢3.00 is now being sold for GH¢5.00.

Three small sizes of Tilapia that sold between GH¢15.00 and 20.00 now goes for between GH¢20.00 and GH¢30.00, while three big sizes of Tilapia which was sold between GH¢30.00 and GH¢45.00 was now for GH¢50.00.

A tuber of yam was sold for GH¢8.00 and is now going for 15.00 with a bag of maize moving from GH¢100 to GH¢130.00

Mr Suleman Zenu, a meat seller at the Takoradi market circle, said the cost of food, groceries and household supplies have increased since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Mr Zenu explained that the surge in price was not deliberate, but that, manufacturers increased their prices hence they too had to increase their prices to avoid incuring loses
Maame Alata Taylor, a business woman at the Effiakuma market said traders were trying to capitalize on the Pandemic to make profit.

She however added that the increase in demand owing to the panic buying facilitated the soar in prices.

Madam Taylor explained that the COVID 19 pandemic affected global trade adding, “Many commodities come from China and since the Chinese market was heavily affected from the beginning of the year, traders could not travel to China anymore hence the increase of prices on consumer goods".