By Seth Danquah
Takoradi, Oct. 10, GNA – As Ghana joins the global community to observe World Food Day on October 16, residents of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have expressed concern over escalating food prices and their impact on household incomes.
What is ordinarily an annual celebration of food security and agricultural resilience has instead brought local economic pressures into sharp focus.
Ahead of the observance, community organisers, market associations and residents are appealing to local authorities and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to implement measures to stabilise food prices and strengthen supply chains.
The residents called for interventions to reduce logistics costs to ensure perishable goods reach coastal markets at affordable prices.
They also advocated the expansion of localised silos and cold-storage facilities in the region to minimise post-harvest losses and seasonal supply shortages.
Other recommendations include improving access to farm inputs to increase agricultural production and reduce reliance on food imports, as well as strengthening market oversight to protect consumers from speculative pricing while ensuring fair returns for farmers.
A visit by the Ghana News Agency to the Takoradi Market Circle, Kojokrom and Sekondi markets showed that although fresh produce remained available, traders and consumers reported noticeable price increases in essential food items, including tomatoes, onions, local rice and fish.
Many residents said this year’s World Food Day should serve as a reminder that food security is not only about availability but also affordability and accessibility.
Madam Eunice Appiah, a shopper in Takoradi, said average household incomes were struggling to keep pace with rising living costs, making it difficult for many low- and middle-income families to meet their nutritional needs.
She urged policymakers to move beyond speeches and implement practical measures to protect ordinary Ghanaians from market volatility.
Madam Efua Mensah, a vegetable vendor at the Takoradi Market, said customers often arrived with the same amount of money they had used in previous weeks but were able to purchase fewer items.
“We aren’t making a huge profit; we are paying more to buy from farm supply hubs, so we have no choice but to pass the cost along,” she said.
Food vendors at the Kojokrom Market also expressed concern about declining purchasing power among consumers.
They attributed the increase in food prices to high transportation costs, fuel price adjustments and distribution bottlenecks, which raise the cost of produce before it reaches urban markets.
Recent national economic trends, they noted, suggest that although inflation moderated earlier in the year, increases in food prices and service costs continue to place pressure on household budgets.
World Food Day was established to promote global efforts to eradicate hunger and advance sustainable agriculture and food systems.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
10 October 2026
Reporter: Seth Danquah