Nungua, March 14, – As Ghana observes local cuisine during “Ghana Month” this March, households and food vendors are facing challenges due to a sharp increase in ginger prices, a key ingredient in many traditional dishes and beverages.
Ginger is commonly used in soups, stews, marinades, and popular drinks such as sobolo and lamugin (millet-ginger drink). With March marking Ghana’s Heritage Month, demand for locally sourced ingredients, including ginger, rises significantly.
At Nungua Market, traders report that prices have doubled in recent weeks. What previously sold for GHC 5 is now priced at GHC 10, while quantities that once cost between GHC 20 and GHC 25 are now sold for GHC 50.
Madam Akweley Amankwah, a ginger vendor, said the scarcity has persisted for over a year, adding: “People ask for ginger worth GHC 5 like before, but with current prices, I cannot sell that amount. I appeal to the government to invest in ginger farming.”
Other market participants attributed the price hike to increased demand from producers of local bitters, which require significant quantities of ginger.
Mrs Janet Sits Lartey, who prepares sobolo, said the rising cost is affecting her business: “Ginger gives the drink its flavour, but now I have to use less. If I increase the price of the drink, some customers may stop buying.”
Some consumers are adjusting by reducing ginger use in cooking or switching to pre-processed alternatives.
Mr George Otumfuor, a farmer in Ada, explained that high production costs and intermediary influence are affecting profitability, prompting some farmers to explore alternative crops with more stable returns. He suggested this dynamic may also be contributing to the current ginger price surge.
GHBUSS
14 March 2026
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