By Seth Danquah
Takoradi, Oct. 09, GNA – As Ghana joins the global community to observe World Food Day on October 16, residents across the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolis have raised concerns over escalating food prices.
What is meant to be an annual celebration of food security and agricultural resilience, has instead brought local economic pressures into sharp focus.
Ahead of the celebration, community organisers, market associations and residents are appealing to local authorities and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) for direct interventions.
Residents are calling for actionable policies to stabilise prices and strengthen supply chains, including easing logistics costs so perishable goods reach coastal markets without massive mark-ups.
They are also calling for expanded localised silos and cold-storage units in the region to prevent post-harvest losses and seasonal supply shortages, scaling up farm-input access to boost regional yields and reduce reliance on costly food imports, and strengthening local market oversight to protect consumers from speculative pricing while maintaining fair returns for farmers.
Market stalls across the Takoradi Market Circle, Kojokrom and Sekondi are stocked with fresh produce, yet traders and consumers alike report that essential food items including tomatoes, onions, local rice and fish had seen noticeable price increases in recent weeks.
For residents of Sekondi-Takoradi, this year’s observation served as an urgent reminder that food availability alone was not enough; it must remain affordable and accessible to every citizen.
Madam Eunice Appiah, a shopper at Takoradi, noted that average monthly household earnings struggled to match broader living expenses, as price shifts had proven challenging for low-and middle-income earning families.
She stated that celebratory speeches must give way to practical policies that insulated ordinary Ghanaians from market volatility.
Madam Efua Mensah, a vegetable vendor in Takoradi, said: “Customers come to the market with the same amount of money they used last month, but they leave with half the basket. We are not 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.”
At the Kojokrom Market, food vendors expressed concern over falling purchasing power.
They said high transport costs, fuel adjustments and regional distribution bottlenecks continued to drive up farm-gate prices before produce reached urban centres.
Recent national data highlights that while headline inflation figures moderated earlier in the year, recent upward ticks in food prices and service costs continue to stretch household budgets in urban centres.
World Food Day was established to champion global efforts against hunger and promote sustainable agriculture.
GNA
Edited by Justina Hilda Paaga/Bertha Badu-Agyei/ Christabel Addo
Reporter Seth Danquah