The Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, has met with the Federation of Tomato Growers Associations and the Ghana National Tomato Traders and Transporters Association to address challenges disrupting the tomato value chain and restore stability in that sector.

The meeting, held on Wednesday, December 17, at the Ministry’s conference room, provided an opportunity for the associations to outline longstanding challenges affecting the sector.

Key issues discussed included pricing disputes, transportation bottlenecks, post-harvest losses and market access constraints, which have contributed to the current impasse in tomato distribution nationwide.

Madam Ofosu-Adjare reaffirmed the government’s commitment to working collaboratively with all stakeholders to develop sustainable solutions that protect livelihoods, ensure fair trade practices and strengthen domestic agribusiness.

She stressed the need for cooperation among producers, traders and transporters to grow the tomato sector.

The Minister noted that improved coordination would reduce the need for traders to import tomatoes from neighbouring countries for sale in Ghana.

Representatives of the associations welcomed the engagement and expressed optimism that the discussions would lead to practical interventions to improve the tomato trade and transport system in Ghana, especially within Tuobodom, in the Techiman North District.