News in Brief:
– The General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU) of Ghana warns that despite a recent decline in food inflation, prices are likely to remain high until the June harvest due to the lean season and lack of rainfall.
– High food prices are expected for the next few months, with the need for responsible food storage and alternative food sources stressed
The General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU) predicts that food prices in Ghana will remain high until the June harvest season, despite a recent decline in food inflation.
While food inflation has dropped for six consecutive months, reaching 27.1% in January 2024, GAWU General Secretary Edward Kareweh warns that prices are unlikely to decrease further in the near future.
Kareweh explained that the country is entering the lean season of production and no region is experiencing harvests of major food staples, such as maize and rice (except in irrigated areas).
Elaborating further on his position, the union boss noted the current aridity in most parts of the country, which significantly hinders agricultural activity. He further revealed that the Western regions are still preparing their farms for the main planting season, and the food currently consumed comes from last year’s harvest.
Therefore, he stated that food prices will go up and stay high by the middle to the end of March 2024 until harvest begins in the Southern parts of the country around June or July.
Inflation in the West African country peaked at 23.5% in January 2024. A January report revealed that food inflation dipped slightly, dropping from 28.7% in December to 27.1% in January. However, the cost of non-food items rose, climbing from 18.7% to 20.5% in the same period.
Kareweh’s statement emphasises the need for all-year round food production as opposed to producing in one cylce because of over reliance on rain. The country already has plans to improve production by fixing dams to make irrigation possible in more regions.
