Gov’t Targets End to Tomato Imports Within Four Months
The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, says government is on course to significantly reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported tomatoes within the next four months through targeted interventions aimed at boosting domestic production and strengthening the agricultural value chain.
Appearing before Parliament’s Select Committee on Assurances to provide updates on commitments made by President John Dramani Mahama in the 2025 State of the Nation Address (SONA), Mr. Opoku said government has already begun implementing measures designed to reverse the country’s heavy reliance on tomato imports, particularly from neighbouring Burkina Faso.
“We have started working on that challenge, and we are bent on reversing that story. Within the next three or four months, the results will be out there for Ghanaians to testify,” the Minister stated.
According to him, the strategy focuses on expanding irrigation infrastructure to enable year-round tomato cultivation in major farming communities. He explained that government is drilling boreholes, installing solar-powered irrigation systems and fencing farmlands in areas prone to destruction by roaming livestock.
Mr. Opoku said these interventions are already underway in several tomato-producing districts and are expected to significantly improve production levels and ensure a reliable supply throughout the year.
He noted that President John Dramani Mahama has taken a personal interest in the initiative and has directed the ministry to accelerate efforts to eliminate the country’s dependence on imported tomatoes.
“President Mahama himself has taken special interest in this, and he says that we should bring an end to the importation of tomatoes into this country, and we’ll do just that,” he added.
The Minister also addressed concerns over the recent decline in food prices and its impact on farmers’ incomes. Responding to questions from the Chairman of the Committee, Dominic Nitiwul, he acknowledged that while consumers are benefiting from lower food prices, many farmers are struggling to recover their production costs.
He described the situation as a “good-bad” scenario in agricultural economics, where abundant food production benefits consumers through lower prices but reduces farmers’ earnings because of increased supply.
To cushion farmers, Mr. Opoku disclosed that government has submitted proposals to President Mahama and Cabinet for support measures, including the provision of free fertiliser as an emergency intervention.
He said the long-term solution lies in expanding agro-processing, creating ready markets for farmers and promoting value addition to absorb surplus production and guarantee stable incomes.
The Minister warned that prolonged low prices without adequate support could discourage farmers from continuing production, stressing that government remains committed to transforming agriculture into a profitable enterprise capable of creating jobs, improving food security and reducing Ghana’s dependence on imported food products.
