Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has allayed concerns about any tomato shortage as a result of the export ban placed on Ghana by Burkina Faso.
During a press conference held in Accra on Wednesday, March 25, Mr. Opoku provided assurances to Ghanaians that necessary measures were in place to ensure nationwide tomato supply would meet demand.
“This issue of shortage will not happen anywhere; we have ample solutions in place to ensure that our production levels will be greater than our national demand. I want to reassure the public that the situation does not appear to be critical,” he said.
According to the Minister, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture chose 81 communities to be part of the ‘Feed Ghana’ initiative (which was established in 2025) and assisted these communities in producing approximately 1,000 acres of tomatoes. The Minister anticipates increased production capacity for this crop in the near future.
“We have selected 81 communities from which we have implemented projects since 2025, and these 81 communities produced a total of 1,000 acres of tomatoes. This year, we anticipate producing upwards of 40,000 acres of tomatoes. The University Bypass in Accra has been established as a farmers’ market for the sale of fresh tomatoes, and several processing facilities have been developed around it.”
In order to achieve food security, Mr. Opoku also encouraged all families to get involved in growing.
“I want every Ghanaian to plant in their own yard. Now is the time for us to step up this campaign. We can even grow tomatoes inside our houses! No matter where we are, having a small garden will help support our family’s meals,” he said.
About the Author
