File photo: Women processing shea butter
Correspondence from the Upper East Region
Jelly products in Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region have for the past two months witnessed a hike in demand.
The development came in the wake of the harmattan season, which came rather severe this year, hence, the need to smear such products for one not to look pale despite taking a bath.
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GhanaWeb's Upper East Regional Correspondent, Sarah Dubure, stormed the Bolgatanga Central Market and engaged some shopkeepers regarding the development.
A shop owner, Ansar Bamba, indicated that the hike in the demand for the products started close to the end of November when the harmattan started.
He added that the situation had slightly stagnated the sale of lotions, but quickly added, that there were still a few lotion users, who did not want to change their pomade.
He explained that such people came and bought either baby oil or glycerine to mix with their lotions, to keep their skin moist.
He observed, that men, who were not into the habit of smearing pomade after bathing, also joined the league of petroleum jelly product users.
According to him, they desperately trooped there, demanding that they needed jelly products to prevent the paleness of their skin.
"Even men, who don't use pomade at all, are forced to buy the jelly. They come and say" Ooh, I don't smear pomade, but just give me a small one because when I bathe, I become white, so give me something small". He pointed.
Another shop operator, Emmanuel Yirewuo, intimated that the lotions were a hot cake, but the tables turned upon the onset of the harmattan season.
He stated that patronage was so rapid to the extent that they had to go for another stock every two weeks and sometimes, earlier. He added, that it initially took three weeks for them to run out of stock.
"Let's say a week, two weeks maximum, they all finish and you have to go and take new stock again. At first, it can take three weeks.
Mr Yirewuo added that most customers initially bought the small sized ones, but now, opted for the bigger ones.
"At first, they always come for the small one, but now, they come for the big ones".
Another shop owner, Mr. Ebenezer Boad, warned that as a businessman, one stood the risk of running at a loss, by going in for products that did not have petroleum jelly or shea butter in them.
"If you buy something that doesn't have shea butter, you will run at a loss.
He added that the recommended products for the season were Vaseline, shea butter products and Ghana don products.
"The business that will boom is the Vaseline and shea butter. Ghana don products too, majority of them have jelly in them". He noted.
