During a visit to the central market on Wednesday, the sellers told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) market survey that the traditional healers bought the ginger in larger quantities and at good price from the growers at the farm gates. 

They said that it was difficult for them to get ginger to sell to consumers and thereby slow down their economic activities. 

The sellers expressed the fear that the situation could lead to a shortage in the municipality if the government did not intervene. 

Mrs Ataa Henewaa, a ginger seller at the central market, said: “The price of ginger is quite expensive because we don’t even get the stuff to buy”, worrying that the growers preferred to sell to the traditional medicine producers. 

She called for government motivation for the ginger growers in the Municipality and parts of the Bono region to expand their farms and to engage in commercial plantation. 

Madam Faustina Kyeremaa, another seller, expressed similar sentiments, and expressed fear about the looming scarcity of ginger. 

In a related development, tomato traders at the central market also lauded the government’s plans to construct irrigation facilities to boost tomato production in the country. 

President John Dramani Mahama announced his government’s plans to construct a 60-hectare irrigation project to boost tomato production. 

Commenting, the tomato sellers said they welcomed the government’s decision with excitement, describing it as laudable. 

For Madam Brago Akosombo, a tomato seller, construction of irrigation facilities was in the right direction, however called on the government to also build processing factories to enable the nation to tackle post-harvest losses. 

Madam Ama Serwaa, another tomato seller, said with irrigation facilities, tomato growers could expand their farms and called on the government to find international marketing opportunities for the growers.