How Burkina Faso tomatoes became Ghana’s favourite

Ghana is the leading consumer of fresh tomatoes in Africa and the second in the world, that is according to statistics from the Ghana National Tomatoes Traders and Transporters Association(GNTTTA).

Eric Osei Tuffuor, the Chairman of the Ghana National Tomatoes Traders and Transporters Association states that the West african country Ghana consumes 90 per cent of fresh tomatoes produced in Burkina Faso which cost the country 56 billion CFA annually in importation.

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Mr. Tuffuor made the statement at a meeting with tomato farmers, traders, some executive members of the Association and Mr George Oduro, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture.

Ghana has seen a reallocation of economic activity from agriculture into the services sector over the last ten years.

Resource allocation, particularly labour, has shifted from agriculture and value-add agriculture and directly into services.

The tomato farmers group has also raised concerns for government to support them to get stable and fair prices as well ready market for the product. They appealed for government's assistance to make the farming industry to thrive.

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Mr Tuffour hoped if the country did the right thing, it could produce enough with the guaranteed quality to avoid importation.

Ghana is estimated to consume in excess of 100,000 metric tonnes of tomato paste annually at a cost of more than $100 million.