The Government of Ghana is preparing to engage Burkina Faso over its recent ban on the export of fresh tomatoes, a move that may impact availability of the produce in Ghana.
According to the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, in a statement issued on Friday, March 20, the planned engagement will seek to address concerns arising from the directive while working towards a solution that benefits both nations, given their long-standing trade relations and Ghana’s dependence on tomato imports from Burkina Faso.
The government noted that it is collaborating with relevant institutions and stakeholders to cushion any immediate effects of the restriction and ensure stability in tomato supply in the short term.
“The government reiterates its commitment to working with stakeholders to boost local tomato production under the ‘Feed Ghana’ and ‘Feed the Industry’ programmes, aimed at increasing output to meet demand on the domestic market,” the statement added.
In the meantime, authorities have urged tomato traders to remain calm as diplomatic efforts continue, expressing confidence that the situation will be resolved amicably to restore normal trade flows between the two countries.
The development follows an announcement from Burkina Faso, which on Thursday, March 19, imposed an immediate halt on the export of fresh tomatoes. The Burkinabè government explained that the measure is intended to prioritise domestic supply for local processing industries.
The directive, issued jointly by its trade and agriculture ministries, also suspended the issuance of Special Export Authorisations (ASE), effectively bringing formal tomato exports to a stop.
Under the new measures, traders with existing permits have been given a two-week grace period to complete ongoing shipments before all authorisations are withdrawn. Authorities in Burkina Faso have further warned that any violation of the directive will attract sanctions in line with existing laws, adding that intercepted consignments will be redirected to support local processing factories.
The move has raised concerns in Ghana, where tomato imports from Burkina Faso play a significant role in meeting local demand, particularly during periods of low domestic production.
