Tomato sellers in the Sunyani Municipality have expressed concern that the area could soon experience a shortage of fresh tomatoes if government does not intervene, following export restrictions in neighbouring Burkina Faso.
During a survey at the Sunyani Daily Market, Nana Yaa Konama, Leader of the Tomato Sellers Association, called on government to construct irrigation facilities and provide incentives to growers to produce fresh tomatoes throughout the year, regardless of the farming season.
She also appealed to the Crop Research Institute to support farmers with climate-resilient tomato seedlings, explaining that many of the local varieties were watery and easily spoiled.
Nana Konama said tomato growers in the country had the capacity to produce enough to meet local demand if they received adequate support, particularly irrigation and improved inputs.
She expressed worry that the Sunyani Municipality and parts of the Bono Region were already feeling the impact of the restrictions in Burkina Faso, noting that prices of fresh tomatoes were gradually increasing in the market.
According to her, aside from the export restrictions, many tomato traders were no longer willing to travel to Burkina Faso because of safety concerns.
“The road is no longer safe and we cannot risk our lives again,” she said, adding that some traders had previously encountered armed robbery attacks while travelling to purchase tomatoes.
She said recent incidents that reportedly led to the death of some Ghanaians had further frightened traders, forcing many of them to stop buying tomatoes from the neighbouring country.
Another tomato seller at the Sunyani Daily Market, who gave her name only as Madam Elizabeth, confirmed that fresh tomatoes had become more expensive in recent weeks, forcing some customers to switch to tomato paste.
She described the tomato business as profitable and called on government to make tomato farming more attractive to unemployed youth by providing financial and logistical support.
Madam Elizabeth said encouraging young people to engage in commercial tomato farming and vegetable production would not only create jobs but also help the country meet the growing demand for fresh vegetables.
