Inflation in March remained highly concentrated, with a small group of essential items accounting for the bulk of price increases, even as others recorded sharp declines, according to data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
Charcoal, green plantain and smoked herrings have remained among the top contributors to inflation since November 2025, indicating persistent price pressures in a narrow set of essential goods despite an overall decline in inflation.
The report shows that five items, charcoal, green plantain, smoked herrings, senior secondary school fees and onions, accounted for about 61.5% of total inflation. This concentration suggests that overall price pressures are being driven by a narrow segment of the consumption basket rather than broad-based increases.
Among the fastest-rising items, ginger recorded the highest inflation at 61%, followed by green plantain at 59%, charcoal at 53%, cashew at 47% and palm fruits at 39.6%. Together, these high-inflation items contributed about 38.3% of the overall inflation rate, highlighting the significant impact of food and energy-related products on consumer prices.
For households, this means that while overall inflation is low, the cost of certain everyday essentials continues to rise sharply, particularly for items linked to cooking and food preparation.
At the same time, several items saw steep price declines, helping to offset upward pressure. Garden eggs recorded the largest drop, with prices falling 60.3% year-on-year. Fried fish declined by 50.1%, while pawpaw fell 49.6%, cocoyam leaves dropped 46.7% and fresh okra decreased by 44.7%.
These five lowest-inflation items collectively reduced overall inflation by about 18.3%, demonstrating how falling food prices in some categories are cushioning consumers against increases elsewhere.
The divergence between rising and falling items underscores a key feature of the current inflation trend: it is not widespread but concentrated. While some goods are becoming significantly cheaper, others, often critical to daily consumption, are driving the remaining price pressures.
For businesses, particularly those in food supply chains, the data points to uneven cost dynamics. Producers and traders dealing in high-inflation items may face supply constraints or increased input costs, while those in declining-price categories could experience margin pressures.
The concentration of inflation in a limited number of items also suggests that targeted interventions, such as improving supply chains, stabilizing input costs or addressing market bottlenecks, could have a meaningful impact on overall price stability.
