The Government of Ghana says it will engage authorities in Burkina Faso after that country decided to suspend the export of fresh tomatoes, a move that could affect supply in Ghana.
In a statement issued on Friday, March 20, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry explained that discussions will focus on addressing the concerns behind the suspension and finding a solution that benefits both countries, given their long-standing trade relationship and Ghana’s reliance on tomato imports from Burkina Faso.
The government also assured the public that it is working with relevant institutions and stakeholders to reduce the impact of the restriction, while taking steps to stabilise tomato supply in the short term.
“The government reiterates its commitment to working with stakeholders to boost local tomato production under the ‘Feed Ghana’ and ‘Feed the Industry’ programmes, aimed at increasing output to meet demand on the domestic market”, the statement said.
The Ministry also appealed to tomato traders to remain calm as discussions progress, expressing optimism that an amicable resolution will be reached to restore normal trade flows between the two countries.
In a joint statement issued in Ouagadougou on Thursday, March 19, the Burkinabè government announced an immediate nationwide halt to tomato exports “until further notice,” explaining that the move is intended to prioritise domestic supply for local processing industries.
The directive, signed by the country’s trade and agriculture ministries, also suspends the issuance of Special Export Authorisations (ASE), effectively shutting down formal export channels for tomatoes.
Traders with existing permits have been granted a two-week window to complete ongoing transactions, after which all authorisations will be revoked.
The government warned that any breach of the directive would attract sanctions under existing laws, adding that seized consignments would be redirected to local processing factories to support domestic agro-industrial production.
