The Executive Director of the Peasant Farmers Association, Bismark Nortey, has cautioned that Ghanaian consumers could face higher food prices in the coming months following Burkina Faso’s ban on tomato exports, underscoring Ghana’s ongoing challenges with food security planning.
Speaking on JoyNews Desk on March 23, Nortey said the lack of foresight and preparedness has amplified the impact of the ban, leaving consumers vulnerable.
“When we fail to plan and anticipate, situations like this hit us hard, and that is why you are seeing these reactions from the government,” he said.
While acknowledging efforts by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to engage authorities in Burkina Faso and assurances of strategies to mitigate the effects, Nortey stressed that the immediate outlook remains challenging.
“If the ban holds over the next one to four months, it is going to hit Ghanaians hard,” he warned.
The suspension of fresh tomato exports from Burkina Faso took effect on March 16, 2026. Ghana relies heavily on its northern neighbour for the commodity, with over 90% of tomatoes consumed in the local market sourced from Burkina Faso.
“That is a huge portion that will not be available to the Ghanaian consumer,” Nortey said. “The little that we have, we will have to struggle for it, and that will definitely push prices higher.”
He described the situation as “unfortunate” and noted that Ghana has repeatedly failed to take proactive steps despite similar disruptions in the past, particularly between 2018 and 2019.
“At the time, stakeholders warned against over-reliance on neighbouring countries for commodities we can produce ourselves,” he said. Nortey added that proposals were submitted to the government to boost local production through farmer support, improved infrastructure, and systems aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in key vegetables such as tomatoes and onions.
However, he criticised policymakers for prioritising rhetoric over implementation. “Unfortunately, our policymakers appear more interested in talking than acting,” he said.
Nortey urged the government to ensure that current assurances translate into tangible and actionable strategies to prevent a repeat of the crisis.
He described the situation as a dual challenge: a short-term market shock and a long-term wake-up call for Ghana’s agricultural sector.
“On one hand, this is a warning that if we do not take agriculture seriously, we will continue to face such shocks. On the other, in the short term, we are in serious trouble,” he said.
He called for urgent measures to stabilise the domestic market while implementing long-term strategies to strengthen local production and reduce reliance on imports.
