The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has projected that Ghana will experience a glut of tomatoes within the next three to four months as government intensifies efforts to increase local production and reduce reliance on imports.
Appearing before Parliament’s Committee on Assurances on Thursday, July 9, the Minister said interventions being implemented under the government’s agricultural programme are expected to significantly boost tomato production across the country.
According to him, government is already putting measures in place to manage the anticipated surplus and prevent post-harvest losses.
Mr Opoku disclosed that an off-take system is being established to guarantee a ready market for tomato farmers, while discussions are underway with tomato processing companies to purchase excess produce.
“We have put in place a lot of measures and within the next three to four months, the results will be there for everyone to see. This is another big assurance. We are anticipating a glut of tomatoes in the coming months and are thinking about how we can get processors to off-take from our farmers,” he said.
The Minister also revealed that government is investing in solar-powered boreholes across the country to support year-round irrigation and enable farmers to cultivate tomatoes beyond the traditional growing season.
“We are doing a lot of solar-powered boreholes across the country,” he added.
Mr Opoku expressed confidence that the interventions would strengthen domestic tomato production, improve market opportunities for farmers and gradually reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported tomatoes.
He said the measures form part of government’s broader strategy to enhance food security, increase agricultural productivity and create sustainable livelihoods for farmers across the country.
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