A market survey conducted in the Cape Coast Metropolis by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Wednesday, has shown a significant rise in the prices of vegetables, and cereals compared to the same period last month. A box of tomatoes which sold at GHC1,500, about a month ago is now going for GHC3,500, while a small paint container of tomatoes has gone up from GHC35.00 to GHC 55.00. Additionally, a mini bag of onion has go up from GHc600.00 to GHC1,450.00 while a tin tomato container which was GHC30.00 now sells at GHC60.00. A one kg of garlic has increased from GHC35.00 to GHC40.00 Also, a basket of cucumber sold for GHC100 is now selling between GHC400.00 and GHC500.00. Many traders blamed the situation on unstable weather conditions and the cost of transportation. The traders indicated that the price hikes have led to low sales as for instance, patrons preferred tin tomatoes to the fresh tomatoes. For cereals, a bag of maize rose from GHC600 to GHC800 and a mini bag of millet rising from GHC600 to GHC700. A n 'olonka', a measuring container of white beans, has gone up from GHC13.00 to GHC14.00 whilst a bag of Bambara beans is GHC1,700 from GHC1,200. Madam Gladys Mensah, a trader at the Kotokuraba Market, said there will soon be further increases I the prices of cereals and legumes due to the high cost of transportation. 'Times are hard, there has been fuel price hikes which has made the cost of transporting goods from producers to the market very exorbitant ,' she added. Source: Ghana News Agency