The prices of foodstuffs have, indeed, shot up but falling steadily, the Head of PR Unit of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, Mr Bagbara Tanko has said.

He admitted to Afia Papabi on CTV’s morning show Dwabremu on Tuesday, 19 October 2021 that: “Yes, the prices of foodstuffs have gone up. It’s a fact”.

“Two, three months back, the prices of food shot up but as we speak, the prices are falling”, he explained.

Mr Tanko noted that food prices are seasonal.

“Tomatoes, for instance, are perishable, so, when they are in season, the prices are reduced for a quick sale, otherwise they perish and the farmer will be at a loss”.

On the other hand, he noted, “if we get to the season where tomatoes are not in season, tomatoes become scarce and that becomes the time for the farmers to also cash in a bit to support their own economy”.

“So, during the harvest season, the prices of foodstuffs fall and when we are out of the harvest season, some of the items go high and it’s a trend that has been with us for a very long time”, he observed.

He illustrated: “In 2015, for example, 100 kg of white maize was selling at GHS147 but as we speak, in 2021, the same quantity is selling around GHS150-something”.

“So, you see, the season tells the price and the level of production also counts”.