Tomato in topsy-turvy trading

The price of tomatoes continued its volatile streak in the week ended November 5, with the Agbogbloshie market registering a price increase of 90 per cent in wholesale trading and 75 per cent in retail trading. The commodity closed the week at GHC1.90 and GHC 2.10 in wholesale and retailing trading respectively. In the previous week, it had closed at GHC1.00 and GHC 1.20 in wholesale and retail trading respectively.
“Demand and supply conditions obviously have a role to play in the significant swing in prices of tomatoes on the market. But given the fact that it is a perishable produce, it has always been difficult to transport the produce from markets where there is a glut, and therefore prices are depressed, to markets where there is high demand, and therefore prices are higher”, Esoko market watchers reported.
The volatile price of tomatoes in the markets has been a source of worry not only for the traders, but also for the farmers.

Tamale registers lowest price
Esoko monitored market activities showed that the Tamale market had the lowest price for tomatoes both in wholesale and retail trading. The analysis, based on the seven markets used in the construction of the Esoko Ghana Commodity Index (EGCI) revealed an average price of GHC1.12 a kilo in wholesale trading and GHC1.41 a kilo in retail trading. However, the price in the Tamale market is almost a third of the average; GHC0.40 in wholesale trading and GHC0.41 in retail.
SOURCE: ESOKO