Ghana could eliminate its persistent tomato shortage within a year if decisive policy action is taken, according to Dr. Felix Mawuli Kamassah, CEO of Maplix Trust Ghana Limited, who says the country already has the capacity to meet its own demand.
The assertion comes at a time when Ghana’s tomato market is under pressure following Burkina Faso’s halt of fresh tomato exports, a development that has exposed the country’s long-standing reliance on imports to bridge its domestic supply gap. Prices have risen sharply in markets, reflecting the strain on supply chains and the essential role tomatoes play in daily consumption.
“If the government is very serious, within one year we can close that gap,” Dr. Kamassah said, pointing to what he described as existing but underutilized local solutions.
Ghana’s tomato demand consistently outpaces local production, with imports filling a significant share of the gap. The country’s annual consumption is estimated at around 800,000 metric tonnes, while domestic output averages roughly 368,000 to 420,000 metric tonnes, leaving a substantial deficit that must be covered through imports.
This gap has entrenched Ghana’s dependence on external suppliers, particularly Burkina Faso, which accounts for over 90% of fresh tomato imports into the country. Annual import volumes have exceeded 100,000 tonnes, with the value of imports rising sharply over the years, reaching as high as $400 million annually in some estimates.
The trend reflects deeper structural challenges within Ghana’s tomato sector, including low yields, limited irrigation, and post-harvest losses, all of which constrain the country’s ability to meet its own demand despite favorable growing conditions.
Dr. Kamassah argues that the challenge is not a lack of knowledge or capacity, but rather a gap in coordination, investment, and policy execution. He notes that farmers across parts of the country are already cultivating tomatoes and preparing nurseries, but these efforts remain fragmented and insufficient to meet national demand at scale.
Expanding production, he suggests, would require targeted government intervention in irrigation infrastructure, access to improved seed varieties, and support for climate-smart farming practices. With these in place, farmers could move beyond seasonal production and supply tomatoes consistently throughout the year.
He also points to the role of large-scale and clustered farming models, where coordinated production across regions can ensure steady supply into urban markets. Such an approach would reduce post-harvest losses, improve distribution, and create a more predictable pricing environment for both farmers and consumers.
The broader implication, Dr. Kamassah notes, is that addressing the tomato gap could serve as a template for other staple crops, demonstrating how Ghana can shift from import dependence to local production-led growth.