Traders in Kadjebi in the Oti Region have lamented the rising cost of ginger, saying the situation is negatively affecting their businesses and reducing their profit margins.

The traders disclosed this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) during a market survey at the Kadjebi Market on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.

Gifty Amegbletor, a ginger trader from Bisease, a farming community in the Kadjebi District, said the current price of ginger had become a major concern for traders and consumers alike.

She said a bag of ginger was currently sold at about GHS5,000.00, making it difficult for traders to recover their capital after sales.

“The price keeps increasing, but customers are unwilling to buy at higher rates. Sometimes we struggle to make any meaningful profit after transporting and selling the produce,” she said.

Amegbletor attributed the high cost of ginger to the fungal disease that devastated ginger farms in the district about three years ago, leading to a sharp decline in production.

According to her, many farmers who suffered huge losses during the outbreak have either reduced cultivation or abandoned ginger farming altogether.

Akosua Nyavor, another trader at the market, shared similar concerns, noting that the escalating prices had led to a decline in patronage.

She said consumers who previously purchased large quantities now buy smaller amounts due to the high prices.

“The demand is still there, but many customers cannot afford the quantities they used to buy. This affects our sales and income,” she added.

James Agyemang, a farmer at Okanta, a farming community in the district told GNA that the fungal disease had discouraged many young farmers from venturing into ginger cultivation.

He said despite efforts by some farmers to resume production, fears of another outbreak continued to affect investment in the crop.

“The disease destroyed several farms and caused huge financial losses. Many young people who invested in ginger farming have switched to other crops because they are afraid of losing their investments again,” he said.

Agyemang said the disease had not been completely eradicated and continued to pose a threat to ginger production in the area.

He appealed to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and agricultural research institutions to intensify efforts to identify lasting solutions to the disease and support affected farmers with disease-resistant planting materials.

Some consumers who spoke to GNA also expressed concern over the rising prices, saying ginger remained an important ingredient in many homes for cooking and medicinal purposes.

They appealed to the relevant authorities to support farmers to increase production and stabilise prices to make the commodity more affordable.

The traders and farmers expressed optimism that with the necessary technical support and interventions, ginger production in the Kadjebi District could recover and help reduce prices in the coming years.

A Ghana News Agency story with the headline, “Strange disease destroys ginger farms in Kadjebi District,” published on October 9, 2023, reported on the outbreak of the disease.

The then Kadjebi District Director of Agriculture, Besa Akpalu, confirmed the outbreak and stated that “samples of the affected plants and rhizomes had been sent to the Pokuase Agricultural Research Centre for investigation and confirmation of the exact disease responsible”.