The Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, has projected that Ghana could experience a glut of tomatoes within the next three to four months as the government rolls out interventions to increase local production and reduce the country's dependence on imports.

The projection follows the minister's earlier announcement of plans to distribute improved high-yield tomato seeds, expand irrigation infrastructure and provide farmers with technical support to boost yields and reduce post-harvest losses.

Speaking before Parliament's Committee on Assurances on Thursday, July 9, 2026, Opoku said the government is implementing several measures under its agricultural transformation agenda, including an off-take system to guarantee ready markets for farmers and partnerships with tomato processing companies to absorb surplus harvests.

How GhanaWeb's new digital marketplace is transforming real estate – CEO explains

He also disclosed that solar-powered boreholes are being installed across the country to support year-round irrigation and increase production.

"We have put in place a lot of measures, and within the next three to four months, the results will be there for everyone to see. This is another big assurance. We are anticipating a glut of tomatoes in the coming months and are thinking about how we can get processors to off-take from our farmers. We are doing a lot of solar-powered boreholes across the country," Opoku stated.

The minister said the interventions are expected to improve market opportunities for farmers, strengthen domestic tomato production and gradually reduce Ghana's reliance on imported tomatoes while supporting the country's broader food security agenda.

The government's renewed focus on tomato production follows concerns over Ghana's heavy dependence on imports to meet local demand.

The ministry has previously indicated that Ghana produces about 510,000 metric tonnes of tomatoes annually against an estimated national demand of more than 800,000 metric tonnes, leaving a significant supply gap.

Officials have also identified post-harvest losses of about 30 per cent as a major challenge affecting the country's tomato value chain.

In recent months, the government has intensified collaboration with research institutions, private sector partners and farmers under initiatives such as the Feed Ghana Programme to develop improved tomato varieties, expand irrigation-backed cultivation and strengthen processing capacity.

These efforts are aimed at stabilising supply, improving farmers' incomes and reducing the country's food import bill.

ANAS/MA

LIVESTREAMING: GhanaWeb launches maiden Real Estate Platform