The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku, officially launches Phase I of a major initiative to bolster local tomato production in Ghana, in a bold move aimed at drastically reducing the national tomato importation bill and fostering sustainable agricultural transformation.
Hon. Opoku, who performs the launch on behalf of government in the Volta Region, marks the beginning of a strategic partnership between government and Farm mate Ghana Limited, a leading agribusiness firm, to reposition Ghana as a self-sufficient and eventually net-exporting tomato producing nation.
The Minister says the initiative is a direct response to President John Dramani Mahama’s directive to prioritize food security and import substitution under the Feed Ghana Programme.
He notes that Ghana’s continued dependence on imported tomatoes is a major concern for government and requires urgent, large-scale local intervention.
The initiative comes at a critical time when Ghana spends over $400 million annually on the importation of tomato and tomato products, including fresh tomatoes from Burkina Faso and processed tomato paste from China and Europe.
The heavy dependence on imports continues to put pressure on the cedi, drain foreign exchange reserves, and expose the country to price volatility and supply disruptions. Speaking at the launch ceremony.
A Representation to a Sustainable Local Production
Hon. Eric Opoku says the project represents a paradigm shift from reliance on imports to sustainable local production, with a clear focus on economic empowerment, value addition, and job creation.
“We cannot continue to spend hundreds of millions of dollars importing tomatoes when we have fertile lands, water resources, and hardworking farmers who can produce for the nation. Under the leadership of President Mahama, we are taking decisive steps to change this narrative. This project in the Volta Region is the beginning of that transformation.”
Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku
Hon. Opoku says, the project outlines three core strategic goals that drive its implementation. First is Import Substitution. The initiative seeks to move Ghana from heavy reliance on imported tomatoes to sustainable local production.
Hon. Opoku says the current import situation is untenable and requires deliberate, large scale investment in local capacity. Second is Economic Empowerment. The project aims to improve the livelihoods of local farmers and create widespread employment, particularly for youth and women in the Volta Region and other tomato growing districts.
Hon. Opoku assures that thousands of direct and indirect jobs will be created along the value chain, from farming to processing, transportation, and marketing. Third is Value Addition. The initiative goes beyond raw production. It invests in processing capacity to move beyond raw output and increase the market value of produce.
The Lack of Processing Plant is a Major Setback
The Minister notes that the lack of processing plants has been identified as a major reason why Ghanaian tomato farmers suffer post-harvest losses of up to 40 percent annually. The launch in the Volta Region is significant.
The region is identified as one of the most viable ecologies for tomato production due to its fertile lands, access to water from the Volta River and its tributaries, and favourable climatic conditions. The region also has a strong farmer base that is ready to be organized into cooperatives for commercial-scale production.
This Phase, which covers the 2026 – 2027 season, has a viable target of initial production of 100,000 tonnes of fresh tomatoes across 10,000 hectares, with a long-term goal of reaching 400,000 tonnes annually and beyond in the various districts of the country.
Under the implementation plan, Farm mate Ghana Limited provides mechanization services, high yielding and disease resistant tomato seeds, extension support, and guaranteed off-take arrangements.
Government, through the Ministry of Food and Agriculture led by Hon. Opoku, facilitates access to land, irrigation infrastructure, and provides policy support and linkages to financing. Farmers who enrol in the programme receive input credit, which they repay after harvest through the off-take system.
The Model Address Farmers Biggest Challenges
This model addresses one of the biggest challenges facing smallholder farmers: access to quality inputs and ready markets. The partnership also includes the establishment of aggregation centres and cold chain facilities to reduce post harvest losses.
Two major tomato processing factories are planned under Phase I in the Volta Region to process excess fresh tomatoes into paste, puree, and canned tomatoes for both domestic consumption and export.
Hon. Opoku says the initiative aligns with the broader national agenda of agribusiness transformation and industrialization. He notes that tomato is one of the most consumed vegetables in Ghana, with average per capita consumption estimated at over 30 kilograms per year, yet local production meets only about 30 percent of national demand.
“We are not just launching a farming project today. We are launching a new era for Ghana’s tomato industry. For too long, we have allowed importation to kill local initiative. Today, we are taking our destiny into our own hands. We are moving from import dependency to self-sufficiency, from subsistence to commercial agriculture, from raw production to value addition.”
Minister for Food and Agriculture, Hon. Eric Opoku
Farm Mate Partners with the Ministry to Deploy Morden Agricultural Development
The Chief Executive of Farm mate Ghana Limited says the company is excited about the partnership with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and is committed to deploying modern agricultural technologies to achieve the set targets.
He says the company has already mobilized tractors, combined harvesters, and irrigation equipment for the project.
“We bring to this partnership not just inputs, but technology, market access, and a sustainable business model. Our goal is to make tomato farming profitable for the Ghanaian farmer, attractive for the youth, and competitive for the nation.”
Farm Mate Ghana Ltd
Farmers in the Volta Region welcome the initiative with enthusiasm. Many say they have abandoned tomato farming in recent years due to lack of market, high cost of inputs, and devastating losses from lack of buyers during glut seasons.
The launch ceremony is attended by traditional leaders, officials from the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, representatives of farmer based organizations, financial institutions, and development partners.
Hon. Opoku says the long-term goal of reaching 400,000 tonnes annually and beyond will be achieved through expansion to other districts in the Bono, Bono East, Upper East, Northern, and Greater Accra regions in subsequent phases.
The strategy is to develop regional tomato enclaves, each with its own irrigation and processing infrastructure. The initiative say it has the potential to significantly improve Ghana’s trade balance, strengthen the cedi, and create sustainable rural employment if implemented effectively.
They stress that success depends on maintaining the off-take agreements, ensuring timely payment to farmers, and protecting local production from smuggling and under-invoiced imports.
As Phase I of the 2026 – 2027 season takes off in the Volta Region under the leadership of Hon. Eric Opoku, expectations are high that Ghana is finally on the path to solving its perennial tomato challenge and transforming a sector that has for decades been characterized by import dependency, farmer frustration, and post-harvest waste.
The Minister assures that his ministry will provide regular updates on the progress of the project and remains committed to working with all stakeholders to ensure its success.
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