Growing competition for raw ginger between traders and traditional medicine producers is disrupting supply chains and driving up prices, threatening the viability of small-scale traders at the Nana Bosoma Central Market in the Sunyani Municipality.
Ginger sellers are appealing for urgent government intervention, warning that current market dynamics are skewing access to the commodity and slowing down business activity within the local trading ecosystem.
A market survey conducted revealed that traditional medicine producers are increasingly purchasing ginger in bulk directly from farm gates at premium prices, leaving traders struggling to secure stock for retail.
According to the traders, the shift in buying patterns is creating a supply bottleneck, limiting availability in local markets and pushing prices beyond the reach of both sellers and consumers.
Mrs Ataa Henewaa, a trader at the market, said the situation was affecting turnover and profitability.
“The price of ginger is rising because we cannot even get enough to buy. Farmers prefer selling to bulk buyers offering better prices,” she explained.
The sellers warned that if the trend continues unchecked, it could lead to a supply shortfall in Sunyani and surrounding areas, with broader implications for food markets and small business sustainability.
To address the imbalance, traders are calling on government to support ginger farmers to scale up production through commercial farming and improved access to inputs.
They argue that increasing output is key to stabilising prices, ensuring equitable access across value chains, and sustaining livelihoods for both producers and market traders.
The situation also highlights the need for better coordination within agricultural markets to prevent dominance by large buyers at the expense of smaller actors.
Meanwhile, tomato traders at the same market have welcomed government’s plans to invest in irrigation infrastructure to boost year-round production.
President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans for a 60-hectare irrigation project aimed at increasing tomato output and reducing seasonal shortages.
Traders described the initiative as a positive step toward stabilising supply and prices, noting that improved irrigation could enhance productivity and farmer incomes.
However, they emphasised that irrigation alone is not sufficient to unlock the full economic potential of the tomato value chain.
Madam Brago Akosombo, a tomato seller, called for the establishment of processing facilities to reduce post-harvest losses and create additional revenue streams.
“We need factories to process excess tomatoes so farmers don’t lose income during glut periods,” she said.
Madam Ama Serwaa also urged government to explore export markets for tomato producers, arguing that access to international buyers could drive growth and improve earnings across the value chain.
The developments at the Nana Bosoma Central Market underscore broader structural challenges within Ghana’s agricultural trade systems, where uneven access to commodities and limited value addition continue to constrain growth.
Stakeholders say targeted investments in production, processing, and market regulation will be essential to stabilise supply chains, protect small businesses, and enhance the contribution of agriculture to local economic development.
Without such interventions, traders warn that supply disruptions such as the ongoing ginger shortage could erode incomes and weaken the resilience of local markets.
