Ghana’s government has hailed Burkina Faso’s decision to lift its ban on fresh tomato exports, a move set to boost supply and steady prices in local markets.
The Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry confirmed in a press release that Burkina Faso has restarted issuing Special Export Authorisations (ASE) for fresh tomatoes. The prior ban had disrupted supplies to Ghanaian markets and the food processing sector.
This reversal stems from better tomato availability for Burkina Faso’s own factories, coupled with stakeholder pledges to secure domestic industrial needs.
Officials called it a welcome development that eases cross-border tomato flows and tackles recent shortages. It builds on bilateral talks at the World Trade Organization’s MC14 in Yaoundé, Cameroon, where Ghana’s Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare met Burkinabe counterparts directly spurring the policy shift.
Even with imports resuming, Ghana vows to ramp up domestic production and cut import reliance. Key initiatives like Feed the Industry and Feed Ghana are accelerating to lift yields year-round, backed by the Ministry of Agriculture’s irrigation schemes.
The government is also partnering with processors on backward integration, allocating land for large-scale tomato farming to meet industry and household demands.
Authorities call on traders to back these efforts, safeguarding consumers and forging a robust tomato value chain.
Story by: Mercy Addai Turkson#ahotorfmonline.com