The Chamber of Agribusiness has called on government to impose targeted restrictions on selected agricultural imports, particularly tomatoes, to stimulate domestic production, strengthen agro-processing, and accelerate Ghana’s 24-hour economy agenda.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Mr Anthony Morrison, said Ghana’s rising food import bill continues to undermine local industry competitiveness, limit private sector investment, and result in significant job losses across the agricultural value chain.
Mr Morrison stressed that efforts to reposition the economy towards round-the-clock productivity would remain constrained if local producers are unable to compete with high volumes of imports.
He noted that while the 24-hour economy initiative is encouraging businesses to expand operations and attract investment, structural bottlenecks particularly import dependency must be addressed to create real opportunities for growth.
“For the private sector to invest meaningfully in a 24-hour production model, there must be deliberate policy support. One of the key steps is to reduce or halt the importation of products that can be produced locally,” he said.
Mr Morrison highlighted the scale of the economic challenge, revealing that Ghana spends approximately 600 million dollars annually on fresh tomato imports, while processed tomato imports exceed 800 million dollars each year.
He argued that this level of import reliance represents a major drain on foreign exchange reserves and deprives the domestic economy of critical employment and value creation opportunities.
According to him, an estimated 561 million dollars in potential job opportunities are effectively exported each year through tomato imports, reflecting lost income for farmers, processors, transporters, and other actors within the agricultural ecosystem.
“This is not just about food imports; it is about exporting jobs and limiting the growth of local enterprises that could otherwise drive industrialisation,” he added.
The Chamber believes that introducing strategic import restrictions would create a more enabling environment for local farmers and agro-processors to scale up production, invest in technology, and improve supply chain efficiency.
Mr Morrison explained that with the right policy backing, Ghana could significantly expand its tomato production capacity, reduce post-harvest losses, and build a competitive agro-processing industry capable of meeting both domestic and export demand.
He further emphasised that strengthening local production aligns with broader national objectives, including import substitution, industrial transformation, and economic diversification.
The call also reflects growing concerns within the business community about the sustainability of Ghana’s import-driven consumption model, which continues to exert pressure on the cedi and widen the trade deficit.
Mr Morrison urged government to complement import restrictions with investments in irrigation, storage infrastructure, and access to finance to ensure that local producers can meet demand consistently throughout the year.
He said that aligning trade policy with production capacity would be critical to unlocking the full economic potential of the agriculture sector and positioning it as a key driver of jobs under the 24-hour economy framework.
The Chamber’s proposal adds momentum to ongoing policy debates on how Ghana can reduce import dependence, retain value within the economy, and build resilient, locally driven agribusiness industries.
