Ghana’s tomato supply crisis has deepened following Burkina Faso’s export ban, with importers warning that local farmers cannot fill the gap due to poor irrigation.

The military-led government in Burkina Faso has suspended all fresh tomato exports to protect its domestic processing industry, cutting off a major supply source for Ghanaian traders.

The situation has been further compounded by recent security incidents in Titao, where some Ghanaian traders were caught in a terrorist attack, leading to fatalities among women traders.

Speaking on Joy News' PM Express, President of the Tomato Importers Association, Eric Tuffour, said Ghana’s inability to produce tomatoes year-round is rooted in a fundamental challenge.

“May to December every year, we have problems with Ghanaian farmers as they can’t grow tomatoes because of a lack of irrigation,” he said.

He explained that the issue is not limited to one region but affects multiple tomato-growing areas across the country.

“It’s not only the Upper East farmer who normally used to grow tomatoes for the market. It is also grown in Dormaa Ahenkro, Asante Akyem Agogo, Begoro, Tuobodom and other areas that are tomato-growing places, but when you get there, the irrigation is very poor,” he added.

The comments highlight a structural weakness in Ghana’s agricultural sector, where reliance on rainfall continues to limit productivity and supply consistency.

With Burkina Faso’s exports halted, Ghanaian traders face mounting uncertainty as local production struggles to meet demand.

The situation raises fresh concerns about food security, price stability and the vulnerability of supply chains to external shocks.

Industry players say that without urgent investment in irrigation infrastructure, Ghana will remain dependent on imports, even in regions with strong potential for tomato cultivation.