Agric Ministry to set up food retail centres to mitigate high food prices
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr Owusu Afriyie Akoto, has revealed that his outfit will in the coming months set up food retail centres in food hub towns across the country.
The move, according to him, is to help mitigate the recent hikes in food prices.
Speaking in an interview, the Minister noted the food retail centers are necessary to curb the activities with middlemen, asserting that 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.
Increases in the country’s food inflation, Dr Owusu Akoto attributed to factors beyond state control; such as high cost of fertiliser and chemicals and the increase in fuel prices.
Adding that, despite the ongoing economic crisis, some people have drastically increased their food prices, something he said is unacceptable, hence the decision by the Ministry.
”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.
