The government has announced plans to promote year-round tomato production in Ghana to reduce dependence on imports and prevent a recurrence of the recent attack on Ghanaian tomato traders in Burkina Faso.
The move follows the killing of some Ghanaian traders who had travelled to Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes, an incident that has sparked concern over the safety of cross-border trade.
Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, disclosed the government’s intention during a visit to injured traders receiving treatment at the 37 Military Hospital in Accra on Monday February 23.
Describing the incident as unfortunate and deeply troubling, the Minister questioned how a commercial activity such as tomato trading could result in loss of life.
“I do not know how the buying and selling of tomatoes can end somebody’s life. We hope that we are able to produce tomatoes all year round so that this will not happen. We pray for peace in that space also,” she stated.
