Ghana’s tomato imports exceed US$230 million annually

Ghana’s tomato imports exceed US$230 million annually, while a disease-driven collapse in ginger production has left the country more than 99 per cent dependent on imports, according to researchers at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Dr Michael Kwabena Osei, Principal Research Scientist and vegetable breeder at the CSIR Crop Research Institute, said national demand for fresh and processed tomatoes exceeds 1.4 million tons annually, while local production meets only about 15 to 18 per cent. Ghana produces about 120,000 to 180,000 tons from an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 hectares.