Tomato Prices Set to Rise as Burkina Faso Attacks Disrupt Supply to Ghana
Traders in Accra fear shortages and soaring prices as attacks in Burkina Faso disrupt cross-border tomato supply.
- Traders in Accra warn tomato prices could surge and shortages emerge as attacks disrupt supply from Burkina Faso
- Importers are urging government to invest in irrigation and dam infrastructure to boost local tomato production and reduce reliance on imports
- The Ghana National Tomato Traders Association cautions against illegal tomato inflows and says the disruption threatens jobs and livelihoods across the supply chain
Tomato sellers and importers in Accra are cautioning that prices could soar and shortages may occur if government fails to urgently invest in irrigation and other measures to strengthen local tomato production.
The traders say improving domestic farming would lessen Ghana’s reliance on imports from Burkina Faso, where escalating insecurity has made the supply route increasingly risky. They also stress that investing locally would keep funds within Ghana’s agricultural sector and safeguard jobs.
Their concerns follow recent terrorist attacks in Burkina Faso that killed eight Ghanaians and injured several others, disrupting cross-border tomato supply and highlighting the dangers of overdependence on foreign produce.
Speaking in an interview, veteran tomato importer Esther Owusu Ansah warned that traders could soon stop travelling to Burkina Faso if security does not improve.
She explained that while escorts are often provided up to Paga, the rest of the journey remains unsafe, making the business increasingly risky.
Another trader, Adwoa Pinnaman, called for the construction of dams and irrigation systems to boost local tomato farming and reduce the need to travel to Burkina Faso. She noted that traders spend heavily abroad only to return with tomatoes that are sometimes of poor quality or already spoiled.
Otumfuo Charity, Queenmother of the CMB Underbridge branch and an executive of the Ghana National Tomato Traders Association, also warned that traders from Togo might exploit the disruption by smuggling tomatoes into Ghanaian markets. She stressed that the association would resist any illegal import practices.
Drivers and transporters who distribute tomatoes nationwide say the supply disruption has nearly halted their work. Some fear they may be forced into unstable alternative jobs if the shortage continues, while others warn that reduced supply will inevitably push prices higher and threaten their livelihoods.
