By Jeremiah Nutsugah and Gloria Amoh.
Amaria, an onion seller at Mallam Market, has voiced her concerns over the continuous rise in wholesale onion prices and its impact on her business.
She argues that the persistent increase in onion prices has significantly affected their trade, leading to the lowest customer patronage recorded this year. The high prices directly influence their sales negatively.
In her words, “Previously, a basket of onions was sold for GHC100. However, due to the rise in wholesale prices, we had to raise our selling price to GHC300, a change we won’t reverse unless wholesale prices decrease. The wholesale price last year was GHC700, and onions were more abundant than this year.”
She noted that lower onion prices last year led to increased sales as customers bought consistently. However, this year’s situation differs due to the significant rise in wholesale prices, which has impacted their profit margins.
Amaria has called on the government to reduce the prices of goods, thereby making them more affordable for customers. This, she believes, would help them support their families in turn. She expressed her deep concern about the escalating hardship in the country, even suggesting the possibility of relocating to another country.
She emphasized the need for government awareness and action to reduce prices of goods, stating, “We are uncertain whether it’s related to the dollar or other factors, but we are experiencing considerable hardship.”
She also revealed the challenges faced in her daily sales, “From morning to evening, I’ve only made sales of GHC20. You can imagine the difficulties we are currently experiencing.”
