The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has announced plans to boost tomato production in Ghana to 15 metric tonnes per hectare, nearly doubling the current average of 8 metric tonnes per hectare.
The initiative aims to increase local production and reduce reliance on imports from Burkina Faso, following its recent export ban.
Addressing journalists in Accra on Wednesday, March 25, Mr. Opoku said the government has tasked the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) at the University of Ghana with coordinating agricultural research institutions to develop improved tomato varieties.
The Minister stated that the research institutions have been instructed to develop and release the improved varieties within a few months.
“We’re doing two things to resolve the situation. First, we want a variety that can perform well under the different ecologies we have. We have invited WACCI of the University of Ghana. The assurance is that within a few months, they will provide a seed variety that will give us the output. If nothing at all, we estimate to get 15 metric tonnes per hectare when all other factors are in place,” he said.
Additionally, he said the government will procure 883,200 litres of plant protection products nationwide to support cultivation.
Mr Opoku also noted that 69,000 metric tonnes of fertilisers will be distributed across the country, alongside boreholes, to support irrigation.
He said these measures are aimed at ending Ghana’s dependence on imported tomatoes in the shortest possible time under the current administration.
“We’re procuring and distributing nationwide 69,000 metric tonnes of fertilisers. We also want to procure and distribute nationwide 883,200 litres of plant protection products, together with boreholes.
“We think that within the shortest possible time, the Mahama administration will bring an end to the tomato importation problem.”
