Prices of watermelon are going up in the Upper East Region. The month of November through to Christmas always sees the abundance of the fruit on the streets and markets, but this year appears to be different. The watermelons, which are predominantly grown in Bawku and its enclaves, are usually transported to other parts of the region and beyond, for sale.
However, some sources claim that many farmers drifted into the cultivation of green pepper as this proved to be more profitable than the watermelons. "Most of us are now farming the green pepper there is more profit there. With the watermelon, the first harvest isn't that much, the second you get more, the third increases and the fourth, but the fifth harvest reduces so much and the market becomes bad.”
A watermelon seller said the price hike was as a result of a competition that ensued among traders in the region and that of those from neighboring Burkina Faso.
Source: ghanaweb.com