Minister: MoFA to establish food retail centres to mitigate high food prices
Food prices in the country continue to rise, raising concerns about the government's failing agricultural policies. According to Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) data, food inflation was 30.1% t higher in May 2022, compared to 26.6% the previous month.
The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) plans to set up food retail centers in the food hub towns across the country to mitigate the hike in food prices.
In an interview with Asaase Business in Sunyani, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto said the retail centres are necessary to curb the activities with middlemen.
He said these middlemen go to farm gates for produce at cheaper prices only to turn around and sell them at higher prices in urban centres.
Food prices in the country continue to rise, raising concerns about the government’s failing agricultural policies. According to Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) data, food inflation was 30.1% t higher in May 2022, compared to 26.6% the previous month.
Non-food Inflation was also 25.7% in May 2022, as against 21.3% the previous month.
Dr Owusu Akoto attributed the increases to factors beyond state control; such as high cost of fertiliser and chemicals and the increase in fuel prices.
He said despite the ongoing economic crisis, some people have drastically increased their food prices adding that is unacceptable.
Afriyie Akoto said to mitigate the hike in food prices his outfit plans to set up specific food retail centers in the food hub towns across the country.
” We are looking at setting up specific locations in these towns where we can bring the food at lower prices to compete with what the market women are doing then that should drive the prices down …” Afriyie Akoto said.
“… For instance, Dubai basket of tomatoes for GHC150 in Techiman and then you get to Kumasi its GHC400, it doesn’t make sense, somebody is making super normal profits and that’s what we are talking about,” said the minister.
On increase in fertiliser prices, Afriyie Akoto said they have no control over the dictates of the world market.
Daniel Donkor
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