Carrot farmers and traders in Asante Mampong in the Ashanti Region have appealed to the government to place a temporary ban on the importation of carrots from Morocco, warning that the continued influx of foreign produce is crippling local production and pushing farmers to the brink of collapse.

According to the farmers, the Ghanaian market, particularly in major urban centres like Accra and Kumasi, has been flooded with large quantities of carrots imported from Morocco. The situation, they say, has made it extremely difficult for locally cultivated carrots to compete, leaving many farmers stranded with harvested produce they cannot sell.

The farmers said they had invested heavily in this season’s cultivation with high hopes of good returns, only to be confronted by a market dominated by imported carrots.

They explained that the cost of inputs, including seeds, fertilizer, labour and irrigation, has increased significantly, but prices for local carrots have dropped because buyers now prefer the imported variety, which is readily available in bulk.

For many of them, carrot farming is not just a seasonal activity but their main source of livelihood. They fear that if urgent interventions are not made, a large number of local growers could be forced out of business entirely, with serious implications for food security and employment in the farming communities around Mampong, which is one of Ghana’s leading carrot production hubs.

The growers are therefore urging the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Ministry of Trade and Industry to urgently intervene by imposing a temporary restriction on carrot imports from Morocco. They believe such a measure will create space for local carrots to sell, stabilize prices and allow farmers to recover their investments.

“We have cultivated, we have harvested, but there is no market because the imported carrots have taken over. We are pleading with government to help us by halting the imports for some time so that we can also sell.”
A Mampong Farmer

Carrot Farmers Demand Cold Storage Facilities to cut Post Harvest Losses

Beyond a ban, the farmers are also calling for broader structural support for the local vegetable sector. They want government to invest in proper cold storage and preservation facilities in Asante Mampong and other major production areas to help reduce post-harvest losses.

‘’Carrots are highly perishable, and without adequate storage, we are forced to sell at giveaway prices or watch their produce rot. We also want stronger market linkages that will connect we the farmers directly to institutional buyers, supermarkets, hotels and processing companies.’’
A Mampong Farmer

According to them, the absence of guaranteed markets leaves them at the mercy of middlemen and exposes them to unfair competition from importers who have established distribution networks in the cities.

The situation on the ground is becoming dire. Reports from farms in Asante Mampong indicate that large quantities of harvested carrots are currently left to rot on farms and at farm gates because there are no buyers.

At the same time, imported carrots continue to dominate stalls in Agbogbloshie, Kejetia, and other major markets across the country, a situation the farmers describe as painful and demoralizing. The farmers stressed that protecting local carrot production goes beyond their individual interests.

Also, they argue that supporting domestic production will help conserve scarce foreign exchange that is currently spent on importing vegetables that can be grown locally in abundance. It will also safeguard jobs, sustain rural economies, and strengthen Ghana’s agenda to become self-sufficient in vegetable production.

They noted that Asante Mampong has fertile land and experienced farmers capable of meeting a significant portion of national demand if given the right support and a fair market environment. What is undermining their efforts, they say, is not lack of capacity but an unregulated import regime that disadvantages local producers.

Farmers Urge Ghanaians to Choose Local Carrots to Sustain Jobs

The farmers also appealed to Ghanaians to patronize locally grown carrots, noting that local carrots are fresh, nutritious and support Ghanaian jobs. They believe consumer support, combined with government policy intervention, can help revive the sector.

Until concrete action is taken, they fear the losses will continue to mount. For many farmers who took loans to finance this season’s farming, the inability to sell could lead to debt and loss of livelihoods.

To Conclude, they are therefore calling on authorities especially the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to act swiftly to save the sector from collapse and to demonstrate commitment to the government’s own policy of promoting Made-in-Ghana agricultural produce.