Ghana is grappling with a significant tomato supply deficit estimated at 448,000 metric tonnes annually, raising concerns about food security and the country’s continued reliance on imports.
Data from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) indicates that while national demand for tomatoes stands at about 805,000 metric tonnes each year, local production currently averages 510,000 metric tonnes, leaving an initial shortfall of nearly 295,000 metric tonnes.
The situation is further worsened by post-harvest losses, which account for approximately 30 per cent of total production.
This translates into about 153,000 metric tonnes of tomatoes lost annually due to poor handling, storage and market inefficiencies. When combined with the production deficit, the total supply gap rises sharply to 448,000 metric tonnes.
Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has stressed that tackling post-harvest losses could significantly reduce the deficit without necessarily expanding the land under cultivation.
“It is not about increasing the size of the land under cultivation. It is about developing the right variety and creating the conditions to maximise output,” he emphasised.
Addressing a press conference in Accra, Mr Opoku assured the public that Ghana would not face a tomato shortage despite the recent export ban imposed by Burkina Faso, a key supplier of tomatoes to the Ghanaian market.
He outlined a comprehensive set of strategies aimed at boosting local production, reducing waste and strengthening market systems to stabilise supply.
Central to the government’s response is the development of high-yielding tomato seed varieties, expansion of irrigation infrastructure and improved linkages between farmers and buyers.
A major initiative under this strategy is collaboration with the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement to produce improved seeds capable of increasing yields to at least 15 metric tonnes per hectare within a short period.
The Minister acknowledged that Ghana’s dependence on tomato imports had exposed structural weaknesses in the agricultural sector, underscoring the need to build local capacity.
“We have been importing tomatoes from Burkina Faso to supplement local production… a clear indication that if we don’t put in place the right mechanisms to increase production, we are likely to run into challenges,” he said.
As part of ongoing interventions under the Vegetable Development Project, government is scaling up irrigation-backed farming to ensure year-round production.
This includes the establishment of cluster farming systems in Ahafo and Fanteakwa, where 60 hectares each have already been developed with mechanisation and water supply systems.
In addition, 250 boreholes are being drilled across the northern regions to support vegetable cultivation, while hundreds of hectares under existing irrigation schemes are being secured for immediate tomato production.
Mr Opoku further disclosed that a rehabilitated irrigation scheme has made 500 hectares available for cultivation, with arrangements in place to connect farmers directly to buyers to guarantee off-take and reduce post-harvest losses.
Another 100 hectares has also been secured at Akumadan to expand production.
Farmers participating in the programme are receiving support in the form of improved seeds, fertilisers and technical guidance aimed at enhancing productivity and efficiency.
The Minister expressed confidence that the combined interventions would not only stabilise tomato supply in the short term but also strengthen Ghana’s long-term food security outlook.
The measures come at a critical time as the country seeks to reduce its dependence on imports and build resilience within its agricultural sector amid ongoing regional trade disruptions.
