The government of Ghana has welcomed a decision by Burkina Faso to lift its suspension on the issuance of Special Export Authorisations (ASE) for fresh tomatoes, a move expected to restore cross-border trade flows and ease pressure on the domestic market.
In a statement issued by the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, authorities said the decision followed improvements in tomato supply to local processing factories in Burkina Faso, as well as assurances from stakeholders to prioritise domestic industrial needs.
The ministry said the development would help stabilise tomato supply in Ghana, where shortages in recent months have affected availability and prices, particularly in major urban markets.
Government attributed the breakthrough to sustained bilateral engagements between the two countries, highlighting recent discussions between the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, and her Burkinabe counterparts. The talks took place on the sidelines of the WTO MC14 in Yaoundé.
According to the ministry, the lifting of the restriction marks a significant outcome of those engagements and is expected to improve the trading environment between the two neighbouring countries.
It said further collaboration with Burkinabe authorities and industry players would continue to ensure a smooth and mutually beneficial flow of goods, particularly agricultural produce.
Despite the resumption of imports, the government reiterated its commitment to strengthening domestic production to reduce reliance on external supply. It noted that ongoing programmes, including Feed the Industry and Feed Ghana, were being intensified to boost yields and ensure a sustainable supply of tomatoes locally.
The ministry added that targeted interventions across the value chain were being rolled out, including irrigation projects to support year-round cultivation and efforts to encourage processors to invest in local production through backward integration.
Government also indicated that suitable lands were being made available for large-scale tomato farming to meet both industrial and domestic demand.
It urged traders and other stakeholders to support these initiatives, stressing that the broader objective remained the protection of consumers while building a resilient local tomato industry.
Source : Daily Graphic Online
