Government is facing mounting pressure to accelerate efforts towards tomato self-sufficiency, as traders at Agbogbloshie Market in Accra grapple with rising costs that are dampening consumer demand.

The situation has been worsened by Burkina Faso’s ban on tomato exports, which has disrupted supply chains and triggered sharp price increases across major markets in Ghana.

Traders say the shortage is already affecting sales, with many households reducing consumption or turning to cheaper alternatives.

Retailers report that the price of a crate of tomatoes has risen significantly in recent weeks, in some cases more than doubling.

Patience Nyarko, a trader, described the trend as unusual.

“At this time of the year, prices are not expected to rise this much. Tomatoes used to sell between GH¢18 and GH¢22, but now they are going for GH¢32, GH¢38, and even GH¢40,” she said, attributing the increase largely to the supply gap created by the export restriction.

Another trader, Ama Agyeiwaa, who has spent more than two decades in the business, said the situation is placing considerable strain on market women whose livelihoods depend on tomato sales.

She called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to adopt a more proactive approach by studying Burkina Faso’s irrigation systems to strengthen local production, particularly during the dry season.