Ghana To Learn Tomato, Onion Secrets from Burkina

as $400m Supply Hangs in Balance

By Prince Ahenkorah

Ghana is turning to its northern neighbour for agricultural lessons as a suspension of fresh tomato exports exposes the country’s dangerous reliance on Burkinabé produce.
Trade Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare has openly praised Burkina Faso’s mastery in growing tomatoes and onions, saying Ghanaian farmers must now “dig deeper” into those techniques.
The admission came during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the WTO’s 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé. Also present were top members of Ghana’s Parliamentary Select Committee on Trade and Tourism.
The numbers are stark. Ghana imports 70 to 80 percent of its tomatoes from Burkina Faso, worth roughly $400 million every year.
But Ouagadougou has indefinitely halted fresh tomato exports, citing a new industrial push to supply local processing factories. That move has sent shockwaves through Ghana’s supply chain.
“This suspension poses significant challenges,” Ofosu-Adjare admitted, while calling for a resolution that respects both nations’ needs.
Despite the tension, the minister struck a cooperative tone. She announced plans to bring between 20 and 50 Burkinabé traders and business operators to Ghana in the coming months.
She also asked the Burkinabé delegation to submit a list of their top ten imports, so Ghanaian businesses could identify new opportunities to boost cross-border trade.
Ofosu-Adjare did not shy away from harder issues. She raised concerns about rising insecurity in parts of Burkina Faso, which she said has disrupted trade and endangered Ghanaian traders.
She called for joint action to protect traders moving goods between the two neighbours.
Burkina Faso’s ambassador defended the tomato export ban as a necessary step toward value addition and industrialisation.
“We are no longer just exporting raw commodities,” he explained, thanking Ghana for its proactive engagement.
Both sides pledged to keep talking – on market access, agricultural development, and the safety of traders. But the meeting made one thing clear: Ghana can no longer take Burkina’s produce for granted.