Traders in the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have attributed the marginal Price increase of foodstuff to the outbreak of COVID-19.

According to them people did panic buying, resulting in high demand for foodstuff thereby making traders to capitalize on the situation to increase the prices of their items.

A visit to the Takoradi market circle by GNA indicated that prices of many items had marginally increased.

According to Ms Senyo Amegashie, a provisions shop owner, prices of rice, tomato paste, flour and oil had all increased.

She said for instance, before the COVID-19, a 5kg bag of rice was sold between GHC25.00 and GHC 30.00, but was now sold between GHC30.00 and GHC40.00.

The price of five sizable tubers of Cassava, which was sold for GHC2.00 now goes for GHC5.00, with three fingers of plantain moving from GHC 2.00 to GHC5.00.

Five pieces of fresh tomatoes, which was sold for GHC 2.00 is now GHC5.00, while three sizable fresh fish was between GHC5.00 and 10.00 now going for GHC 7.00 and above with one smoked Tuna fish going from GHC15.00 to GHC 18.00

A quantity of smoked herring was between GHC 2.00 and GHC3.00 is now being sold for GHC5.00.

Three small sizes of Tilapia that sold between GHC 15.00 and 20.00 now goes for between GHC 20.00 and GHC 30.00, while three big sizes of Tilapia which was sold between GHC30.00 and GHC45.00 was now for GHC50.00.

A tuber of yam was sold for GHC8.00 and is now going for 15.00 with a bag of maize moving from GHC100 to GHC 130.00

Mr Suleman Zenu, a meat seller at the Takoradi market circle, said the cost of food, groceries and household supplies have increased since the COVID-19 outbreak.

Mr Zenu explained that the surge in price was not deliberate, but that, manufacturers increased their prices hence they too had to increase their prices to avoid incuring loses

Maame Alata Taylor, a business woman at the Effiakuma market said traders were trying to capitalize on the Pandemic to make profit.

She however added that the increase in demand owing to the panic buying facilitated the soar in prices.

Madam Taylor explained that the COVID-19 pandemic affected global trade adding, “Many commodities come from China and since the Chinese market was heavily affected from the beginning of the year, traders could not travel to China anymore hence the increase of prices on consumer goods".