Fresh tomato prices have surged across markets in the Ashanti Region following a deadly attack on Ghanaian importers in Burkina Faso.
The attack so far as a terrorist incident, reportedly claimed the lives of eight Ghanaian traders and left several others seriously injured. The tragedy has triggered a halt in tomato importation, as traders collectively suspend operations in protest and demand urgent government intervention.
The importers are calling on the Ghanaian government to provide armed security escorts and strengthen security collaboration with authorities in Burkina Faso to guarantee their safety.
The suspension of imports comes at a critical period.
Ghana depends on imports for approximately 100,000 metric tonnes of its estimated 800,000-metric-tonne annual fresh tomato demand, particularly during the dry season when local production declines significantly.
The supply disruption has created shortages in major markets, opening the door for so-called “connection men” intermediaries who have defied both the security risks and the protest directive to transport limited quantities of tomatoes into the region.
According to traders, these middlemen have sharply increased wholesale prices, resulting in a steep rise in retail costs.
Ghana depends on imports for approximately 100,000 metric tonnes of its estimated 800,000-metric-tonne annual fresh tomato demand, particularly during the dry season when local production declines significantly.
The supply disruption has created shortages in major markets, opening the door for so-called “connection men” – intermediaries who have defied both the security risks and the protest directive to transport limited quantities of tomatoes into the region.
According to traders, these middlemen have sharply increased wholesale prices, resulting in a steep rise in retail costs.
At the Race Course Market in Kumasi, some traders told Kumasi FM’s Elisha Adarkwah that the smallest box of tomatoes, which previously sold for GHS1,200, is now going for GHS2,000.
A basket that once cost GHS200 is currently selling at GHS400, while smaller quantities that were sold for GHS20 have risen to GHS50.
Hajia Mansura Abubakari, the Ashanti Regional Tomato Second Queenmother, has urged the government to prioritise the protection of traders through enhanced international security cooperation.
She also stressed the need for long-term agricultural reforms, calling for the construction of more dams and the expansion of advanced irrigation systems to boost local tomato production during the dry season and reduce Ghana’s dependence on imports.
