Agric minister outlines strategy to drastically reduce Ghana’s importation of tomato and onions
The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has disclosed that Ghana is committed to stopping the importation of onions and tomatoes from its neighboring countries.
To this end, his ministry will focus on cultivating onions, tomatoes, and peppers and other vegetables that are imported in large quantities under a program dubbed “Yee Dua,” meaning “We Are Planting,” as part of the “Feed Ghana Programme,” which will soon be introduced.
Speaking in an interview with Daakyehene Ofosu Agyemang on New York-based Adinkra Radio, Eric Opoku said farmers who grow these crops will be organized into cooperatives.
Outlining the plans for these farmers, the Minister stated: “The farmers will be provided with logistics and seedlings. They will be supplied with fertilizer, and we will assign agricultural extension officers to support them in cultivating their crops. We will also build a production plant that will serve as a ready market for them. As soon as they produce, we will buy in large quantities. If we can do this consistently for one year, the importation of these crops will reduce drastically.”
Data from the Ministry of Trade and Industry shows that Ghana imports tomatoes worth $400 million annually from Burkina Faso alone, with an annual market demand of 800,000 metric tons, while the country produces between 300,000 and 400,000 metric tons.
In 2021, Ghana imported $33.1 million worth of onions, making it the world’s 42nd largest importer.
Source: Adinkraradio.com
