The prices of cassava, maize have gone up after the lockdown, Esoko, a commodity price survey service organisation, has noted.

The Boyd is also predicting that the prices of other food items will continue to rise in the coming weeks due to the impact of COVID-19 on supply and production of some commodities.

This is premised on the fact that for the post lockdown period, two of the major staple foodstuff, cassava and maize recorded increase in prices across some markets surveyed in the country.

Esoko’s analysis on seven markets in the country, showed that the price of a 91kg of cassava recorded the highest increase of 28.84% to record 124 cedis in April 2020, compared to the previous month March.

This was followed by cooking tomato and medium size of the pona variety of yam.

Following countrywide analysis of commodity prices for April, after the lifting of the partial lockdown imposed to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Esoko said food prices will increase in May.

“With the modification of how markets are set up in some areas, coupled with the fact that we are in the production period, it is expected that commodity prices will continue to show some upward movements,” it said.

From its April survey, there was a hike of 28.84% in the price of cassava to close the month at ¢124.33 per bag with tomato also making a gain of 24.18% per crate to close at ¢826. Pona, a variety of yam, gained 22.11% to close at ¢814.67 per 100 tubers.

The average price of a bag of maize gained 18.11% to close at ¢164 with cowpea also making a gain of 15.26% to close at ¢428.29 per bag.

Gari closed at ¢228.29 representing an increase of 13.66% in price with millet closing at ¢247.57 representing an increase of 7.64%.

Local rice (white) gained 4.98% to close at ¢346.29 with soya also gaining 4.11% to close at ¢271.71 per bag.

Wheat increased by 4.51% to close at ¢296.40 per bag with groundnut shelled gaining 3% to close at ¢549.71 per bag.