Business News of Sunday, 4 August 2013

Source: GNA

Commodity prices extend stability - Survey

Prices of most commodities maintained their stability in the major marketing centres across the country on Friday, closing at last week’s prices, the Esoko-Ghana News Agency market survey has shown.

The survey carried out in major markets in Accra, Koforidua, Ho, Tamale showed that commodity prices remained unchanged as at Friday. In the Koforidua Central Market, foodstuffs such as cassava, cocoyam, plantain, okro, tomatoes, yam, smoked fish, palm nut and tilapia were unchanged at last week’s prices but onion saw a slight price increase.

For example a bunch of plantain is selling for GH¢ 15.00, the same as last week while a bowl of tomatoes still sells for GH¢ 5.00. A tuber of yam depending on the size is going for GH¢3.00 and GH¢ 5.00 while four pieces are being sold for GH¢10.00 At the Ho Central market prices were relatively stable with a bowl of maize being sold at GH¢0.80 while a tuber of white yam is going for GH¢1.30.

A heap of six cocoyam is going for GH¢2.00 and four pile of plantain for GH¢2.50 An olonka of dried pepper is being sold for GH¢13.00 while the fresh one is going for GH¢10.00. The story is not different at the two main markets in Tamale where prices of some commodities remained stable in the week to Friday while others saw some slight increases.

The survey in the Tamale and the Aboabo markets showed that prices of Sorghum and soya bean have increased marginally while onion and yam declined. The price for Sorghum went up to GH¢3.00 compared with GH¢ 2.50 last week while soya bean is up to GH¢2.50 from GH¢2.00 the previous week.

On the other hand four tubers of yam which last week sold for GH¢16.00 now goes for GH¢10.00. Local rice also saw a decrease in price selling for GH¢4.00 down from GH¢4.50. In a survey at the Adabraka market, prices of commodities were relatively stable despite increases in fuel prices.

For example, a big paint bucket of tomatoes is being sold between GH¢10 and GH¢20 while the small bucket is going for GH¢7.00. At the Tema Station the prices of commodities were stable. The traders said some food stuffs are in their season so there is continuous supply to the market, hence the stability in prices.

For example a bowl of onions had maintained its price of GH¢10.00, green pepper is going for GH¢4.00 and red pepper for GH¢C5.00. Three tubers of yam are being sold at GH¢10.00 unchanged from last week while three fingers of plantain are going for GH¢ 2.00 and six fingers of ripe plantain being sold for GH¢ 4.00.

There was a GH¢2.00 drop in the price of tomatoes, which was being sold for GH¢10.00. Generally, the prices were stable across the market centres and the traders attributed the trend to the commodities being in season with constant supply guaranteed.