The Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness at the Office of the President, Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, says government is rolling out urgent measures to ensure year-round tomato production and reduce recurring shortages in the country.
According to him, Ghana’s tomato crisis is largely seasonal, with production concentrated between June and November, leaving a supply gap in the dry months.
“We produce only between June and November, and the real challenge happens between December and May,” he explained.
Speaking on The KeyPoints with Alfred Ocansey, Dr. Otokunor noted that Ghana consumes over one million metric tonnes of tomatoes annually, making it essential to stabilise supply beyond the rainy season.
To address this, he disclosed that government has tasked the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority to quickly roll out dry-season production under irrigation schemes.
“We are looking at short-term solutions to ramp up production immediately, especially in the dry season,” he said on March 21.
He identified key irrigation sites including Tono, Vea, and Akomadan, where thousands of hectares could be redirected into tomato cultivation.
“With improved technology and better yields, we may only need about 60,000 to 70,000 hectares to meet national demand,” he added.
Dr. Otokunor stressed that while emergency interventions are necessary, long-term investments in irrigation infrastructure and modern farming techniques will be key to sustaining supply.
“This is not something we should come back to next year. We must fix it permanently,” he stated.
By Christabel Success Treve
