The Government of Ghana has welcomed the decision by Burkina Faso to lift the suspension on the issuance of Special Export Authorisations for fresh tomatoes.
The decision, communicated through a Joint Communiqué issued by the relevant Burkinabe authorities, follows improvements in the supply situation to local processing units and firm commitments by stakeholders to ensure adequate availability of tomatoes for domestic industrial use.
“Government welcomes this development, which is expected to ease the flow of fresh tomatoes into Ghana and contribute to stabilising supply on the local market,” the Ministry of Trade and Agribusiness said in a statement.
According to the Ministry, the outcome reflects the effectiveness of ongoing bilateral engagements between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
It intends to continue its engagements with Burkinabe counterparts and key stakeholders to ensure a smooth and mutually beneficial trading environment between the two countries.
It further assured the Ghanaian public of the government’s commitment to implement the necessary measures to safeguard local industries and strengthen the domestic tomato value chain.
“Efforts are underway and ongoing programmes, including the Feed the Industry and Feed Ghana initiatives, are being intensified to boost local production, improve yields, and ensure a stable and sustainable supply of tomatoes by Ghanaian farmers.”
The Ministry highlighted that the government was rolling out targeted interventions across the value chain, including irrigation projects by the Ministry of Agriculture to support year-round tomato production.
It added that engagements are ongoing with processors within the tomato value chain to promote backward integration, while suitable lands are being made available for large-scale tomato cultivation to supply both processors and the domestic market.
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Source:
opemsuo.com