Sachet Water producers in the Berekum Municipality of the Bono Region have defied government directives, and increased the price of sachet water in the Municipality.

During a round visit, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) market survey team discovered that the producers had increased the wholesale price from GH₵6 to GH₵8 per bag, with retailers selling it at GH₵9 instead GH₵7.

Mr Kingsford Acquah, the General Secretary of the Berekum East Sachet Water Association told the GNA that the Association made the increments because of the escalating costs of raw materials.

He said the new price was necessary to save their businesses from collapse, despite the government recommendation to halt the increment.

“Though the government has requested a temporary freeze on price adjustments on sachet water for some negotiations, we have to do the increment to meet production cost,” Mr Acquah stated.

He said that: “If the government wants us to stop the increase, then they must also intervene to reduce the prices of our raw materials in the market. Without that there isn’t any way our producers are going to decrease the prices.”

Mr Acquah mentioned other factors like high electricity and utility bills, high regulatory fees and high cost of packaging materials as well as rising labour and distribution expenses that informed the increment.

He urged consumers to adapt to the changes, saying that the Association had been forced to do so and called on the government to also do something about the sharp increment in the cost of raw materials.

“Until the cost of doing the sachet water business is significantly reduced, the current rates will be in force to ensure the sustainability of our businesses in the Municipality,” Mr Acquah stated.