The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) told traders to desist from buying tomatoes from Burkina Faso.

The Head of Public Relations at the Ministry, Bagbara Tanko said, “We all recall the demonstration of the tomato traders earlier this year. As a result, the Ministry had to step up its activities through the crop services directorate.

He also added: "Looking at the quantities of tomato seeds that were distributed countrywide, we are expecting that this year there will be a good harvest and we don’t expect these traders to travel all the way to Burkina Faso. They should look in-country."

“We are looking particularly at the varieties that attract them to Burkina Faso, we are supplying them with the same varieties,” he said.


Read the full story originally published on December 14, 2021, by GhanaWeb

This year will be a good harvest, MoFA to tomato farmers

Buy tomatoes from local producers, Bagbara Tanko to traders

Tomato farmers supplied with varieties to attract buyers

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) has asked traders to buy tomatoes from local producers and avoid travelling to Burkina Faso for the same produce.

According to the Head of Public Relations at the Ministry, Bagbara Tanko, numerous tomato seeds were distributed to farmers across the country following a protest they embarked on earlier this year.

He said tomato farmers are expected to have a bumper harvest during this festive period.

He noted that the Food and Agric Ministry is supplying farmers with the varieties of tomatoes these traders purchase from Burkina Faso to ensure that traders keep buying from local producers.

In an interview with Citi Business News, Tanko said, “We all recall the demonstration of the tomato traders earlier this year. As a result, the Ministry had to step up its activities through the crop services directorate.

"Looking at the quantities of tomato seeds that were distributed countrywide, we are expecting that this year there will be a good harvest and we don’t expect these traders to travel all the way to Burkina Faso. They should look in-country.”

“We are looking particularly at the varieties that attract them to Burkina Faso, we are supplying them with the same varieties,” he added.

In February this year, tomato traders and transporters association embarked on a strike.

They accused the Food and Agriculture Ministry of being silent on the robbery attacks on their members who ply various routes to go get their produce from Burkina Faso.

Reacting to the call that tomato traders should not travel to Burkina Faso for produce, the National Chairman of Ghana National Tomato Traders and Transporters’ Association, Eric Osei Tuffuor said they [traders] will not relent until their issues are addressed.