Ghana losses GHC5.7 billion annually to tomato imports – Chamber of Agribusiness
Ghana is losing about GHC5.7 billion annually, equivalent to 1.2% of GDP due to a dependency on tomato imports, inefficient production, and lack of value-added infrastructure, according to the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana.
The revelation follows a terrorist attack in Burkina Faso that claimed the lives of seven Ghanaian tomato traders on February 14, triggering renewed calls for domestic production reforms to eliminate the need for dangerous cross-border trading operations.
In its National Tomato Production Strategy (2026-2030) announced on Monday, the Chamber of Agribusiness revealed that Ghana ranks as the world’s second-largest tomato paste importer after Germany, spending between GHC650-760 million annually on imports while 30-45% of local produce rot due to inadequate cold storage infrastructure.
Apart from the direct cost of imports, the Chamber also identified hidden losses including “GHC180-220 million in uncollected tax revenues from 250,000 potential jobs that don’t exist, GHC175-250 million worth of tomatoes rotting annually, and GHC4.5 billion in wages that could be earned by Ghanaians if the sector were fully developed.”
“These numbers are devastating,” the Chamber’s CEO, Anthony Morrison, said. “We’re not just losing foreign exchange; we’re losing an entire generation’s employment opportunities. The recent security incident in Burkina Faso is a wake-up call. We cannot continue to sacrifice Ghanaian lives and livelihoods for tomatoes we can grow better and cheaper at home.”
The Chamber’s strategy proposed a GHC3.2 billion investment over five years, which it projects could generate over GHC5 billion annually.
The plan is also projected to create about 200,000 jobs across the entire tomato value chain, targeting 35,000 young farmers who will gain access to land and starter kits worth GHC5,000, while 15,000 cold chain technicians will be trained through new Cold Chain Operations Academies at technical institutes across the country.
“This is not just an agricultural strategy, it’s a youth employment revolution, every young person who joins this sector will earn decent wages, gain technical skills, and contribute to Ghana’s food security. We’re creating an entire new employment ecosystem,” Director of Youth Programs at the Chamber, Akosua Frimpong added.
The plan further revealed that a GHC200 million Youth Agri-Entrepreneurship Fund will provide micro-loans between GHC10,000 and GHC100,000 at 8% interest for all “youth-led tomato businesses,” and projected that this strategy could reduce the importation of tomato products by over a $100 million to just $20 million by 2030.
“We lose nearly half our tomatoes to spoilage; worth GHC250 million every year, because we have nowhere to store them. Meanwhile, Ghana imports over GHC500 million in tomato paste annually. This makes no economic sense,” it noted.
The Chamber announced that it will present the strategy to President Mahama and Cabinet for approval, establish a National Tomato Strategy Steering Committee, and launch a Youth Registration Portal for training and employment opportunities.
It also pledged GHC20,000 in “emergency relief to each family affected by the Burkina Faso tragedy,” and the construction of its first 10 cold storage facilities set to commence in the second quarter of 2026.
See Full Strategy Below:
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