The Food and Beverages Association Ghana (FABAG) has raised serious concerns over the ongoing tomato supply crisis following Burkina Faso’s ban on tomato exports to Ghana.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, FABAG President John Awuni described the situation as a reflection of weaknesses, poor planning, and policy failures within Ghana’s agricultural sector.
“If a country like Ghana cannot produce tomatoes, onions or pepper, then what is the relevance of our Ministry? It is a shame. This is not an emotional statement but the reality. Maybe it is just a ministry to be holding meetings and pushing papers,” he lamented.
Mr. Awuni criticised Ghana’s continued reliance on imports for a basic commodity like tomatoes, despite the country’s vast agricultural resources.
“This situation has once again exposed the dangerous weakness, poor planning, and policy failure within Ghana’s agricultural sector. It is completely unacceptable that a country with vast agricultural land, irrigation dams, agricultural colleges, research institutions, extension officers, and a full Ministry of Food and Agriculture cannot produce enough tomatoes to feed its own population,” he said.
He added that if the Ministry of Food and Agriculture cannot coordinate nationwide tomato production within two to three months, the government should consider restructuring it into a more production-focused institution with clear targets and accountability.
“FABAG wishes to state clearly and without apology that if the Ministry of Food and Agriculture cannot mobilize the country to produce tomatoes within two to three months, then the Ministry has failed in its core mandate and has no justification to continue to exist in its current form,” he stated.
Mr. Awuni noted that tomatoes are a short-cycle crop that can be grown and harvested within 60 to 90 days, arguing that with proper planning and irrigation, Ghana could cultivate the crop multiple times a year.
He maintained that the country has the capacity to address the current shortage in a short period if the right measures are implemented.
FABAG further pointed out that Ghana already has fertile land, irrigation systems, research institutions, extension officers, and access to inputs such as improved seeds and fertilisers, yet production challenges persist.
Mr. Awuni said this reflects leadership and policy gaps rather than a lack of resources.
He warned that reliance on other countries for essential food items poses a national security risk and called on the government to take urgent steps to boost local production.
As part of their recommendations, he urged the declaration of a national emergency tomato programme, distribution of improved seeds, provision of subsidised inputs, activation of irrigation systems, and mobilisation of youth into commercial tomato farming.
He also called for support for greenhouse production, revival of tomato processing factories, and investment in storage and transportation systems to reduce post-harvest losses.
Mr. Awuni further urged the government to set a target for Ghana to achieve tomato self-sufficiency within one year, stressing the need to move from policy discussions to practical results in food production.
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