Ramadan causes fruit, vegetable price hikes in UWR

 Prices of fruits and vegetables have generally gone up in the Upper West Region since the commencement of the month-long Ramadan fasting, during which Muslims abstain from food, drink and other desires from dusk to dawn in fulfilment of their religious obligations.

Checks by the Ghanaian Times across some markets in the Upper West Region revealed that the prices of fruits and vegetables have skyrocketed while some traders and consumers adduced it to the Ramadan fasting period.

The prices of fruits like pine­apple, pawpaw, and watermelon, have gone up with most fruits like apple, grape, and avocados more expensive.

Fruits and vegetables are loaded with dietary fibre and packed with vital minerals, anti-oxidants that boost the immune system, supports overall body function­ing and highly recommended for good health.

The consumption of fruits and vegetables is high among the Mus­lims during Ramadan for vitality.

A customer, Mr Osman Ab­dul-Rahaman, claimed it was the usual trend of traders to extort from people observing a religious, describing this year’s prices com­pared with past fasting seasons as “outrageous.”

“ Now I find it very difficult to buy fruits, the prices were not like this before we started the fasting and all of a sudden the prices of fruits has just gone up, I was at the market to buy an apple and I was told a single one is GH¢20”, he said.

A fruit seller, Madam Memu­natu Bipuah, stated that previously medium size of avocado was sold for GH¢5, but now the same size goes for GH¢15, stating that the increase in the prices of goods and services was affecting the sale of fruits also.

“Before the Fasting started the prices of fruits were better, we price our goods according to the money we spent in buying them so the price increase is not our fault”, she noted.

She said they were not to be blamed for the hike, stressing that they were only breaking even.

A vegetable and fruit seller at Wa Central Market, Madam Fati Dramani, said a medium size bulb of cabbage, which was sold at GH¢4.00 was now selling at GH¢10.00 while prices of toma­toes and carrots, garden eggs had also shot up.

She said a big size of Water­melon which was sold last month at GH¢15 is now sold between GH¢50 and GH¢60.

She stressed that people bought more fruits, especially the Muslims during the Ramadan fasting period than the ordinary days, which might have shot prices up.

A consumer, Alhaji Mumuni Tahiru, added that the increment in the prices of fruit and vegeta­bles had affected the consumption of most people who were sup­posed to take in more fruits and vegetables to stay healthy during the Ramadan fasting period.

‘’I do not know whether the high prices of fruits and vegeta­bles is only in the Upper West, majority of Muslims cannot even afford to buy a single fruit to break their fast, the situation is worrying and we hope and pray that things became better some­day’’, he mentioned.

He has, therefore, called on traders, especially Muslims to reduce the prices of their goods in order to enable them reap the full benefit of the Ramadan.

 FROM RAFIA ABDUL RAZAK, WA

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