Traders say the commodity has remained expensive for nearly three years, following outbreaks that damaged ginger farms and disrupted domestic supplies.
Growing demand from food and beverage manufacturers, alongside exports to neighbouring countries, has added pressure to the already limited stocks.
The high prices are also affecting household consumption, with traders reporting a drop in sales as customers reduce the quantities they purchase to cope with rising costs.
Trader Akua Stella said ginger’s growing use in drinks, toffees and biscuits, coupled with exports of locally grown produce, had contributed to the persistent price increases.
“The use of ginger in drinks, toffees and biscuits, as well as the export of locally produced ginger, has contributed to the high prices,” she explained.
She said some of the ginger currently being sold was imported from Morocco, with the price of a sack ranging between GH¢4,500 and GH¢5,500, depending on supply and market conditions.
A bucket sells for about GH¢400, while an olonka costs GH¢300 and smaller quantities go for GH¢100.
Although prices have dropped from a previous peak of GH¢8,000 per sack, Stella said the cost remained a burden for traders and consumers.
She noted that the situation had become particularly difficult this year, despite the recent reduction in sack prices, leaving many buyers struggling to maintain their usual purchasing levels.
Crop disease continues to affect local supply
Another trader, Nimatu Mustapha, said the supply challenges began about two years ago when a virus outbreak reportedly destroyed ginger crops on local farms.
According to her, traders have been told that a remedy has been found, but the latest harvest has yet to reach the market in sufficient quantities to ease the shortage.
“The problem started about two years ago when a virus outbreak destroyed ginger crops on local farms,” she said, adding that prices were unlikely to return to earlier levels until fresh supplies became readily available.
Mustapha also pointed to competition from buyers in neighbouring Togo as another factor affecting the local market. She said Togolese traders had sourced ginger from Ghana last year after their own production was reportedly affected by the outbreak.
She argued that the purchasing power of buyers using the CFA franc enabled some of them to offer more attractive prices, making it difficult for Ghanaian traders to compete for available stocks.
Imports bridge the production gap
With domestic supplies still struggling to recover, traders said imports from China and Morocco had become increasingly important in keeping the market supplied. Production difficulties in Côte d’Ivoire have also reportedly affected another potential source of ginger.
The growing dependence on foreign supplies highlights the challenges facing Ghana’s ginger industry, as traders attempt to balance high procurement costs with consumers’ reduced spending.
Trader Irene Pokua said a sack of ginger was selling for between GH¢5,000 and GH¢6,000, although this was below the earlier peak of GH¢8,000.
“Because ginger is expensive, consumers are no longer buying as they used to,” she said.
The decline in purchases has left traders facing a difficult situation: they must pay high prices to secure stock while customers increasingly limit their spending on the spice.
Traders call for government intervention
The traders are appealing to the government to support ginger farmers, tackle the production challenges and help restore adequate local supplies.
Stella said improving domestic production would reduce the need for imports, strengthen the supply chain and create conditions for more affordable prices.
“If the government supports farmers to increase local ginger production, traders will no longer need to import the product from other countries,” she said.
Traders believe a sustained recovery in local farming could help stabilise supplies and reduce pressure on prices. However, they say meaningful relief will depend on fresh harvests reaching the market in sufficient quantities to meet demand.
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