ISSUED BY: PUBLIC RELATIONS & COMMUNICATION UNIT*- *MOTAI
The Burkina Faso government’s decision to remove the ban on the issue of Special Export Authorisations (ASE) for fresh tomatoes has been noted by the Ghanaian government.
Following improvements in the supply situation to local processing facilities and strong assurances from stakeholders to guarantee sufficient availability of tomatoes for domestic industrial use, the decision was announced through a Joint Communiqué issued by the pertinent Burkinabe authorities.
The government is pleased with this achievement, which should facilitate the importation of fresh tomatoes into Ghana and help stabilise the local market’s supply.
This favourable result also shows how successful Ghana and Burkina Faso’s continued bilateral relations are.
Notably, Ghana’s Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry Minister Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare and her Burkina Faso counterparts held five important bilateral meetings on the fringes of the WTO MC14 in Yaoundé, Cameroon. One of these meetings resulted in the immediate removal of the trade restriction on fresh tomatoes.
In order to guarantee a seamless and advantageous commercial climate between the two nations, the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness, and Industry will continue to interact with Burkinabe counterparts and important stakeholders in conjunction with other pertinent state organisations.
The government wants to reassure the public that it is still dedicated to taking the required steps to protect regional businesses and bolster the domestic tomato value chain.
To increase local production, improve yields, and guarantee a steady and sustainable supply of tomatoes by Ghanaian farmers, efforts are being made and ongoing programs, such as the Feed the Industry and Feed Ghana initiatives, are being increased.
To enhance year-round tomato production, the Ministry of Agriculture is implementing irrigation projects as part of the government’s focused interventions along the value chain.
Furthermore, agreements are being made with tomato value chain processors to encourage backward integration, and adequate land is being made available for large-scale tomato growing to feed the domestic market as well as processors.
As the government continues to take the necessary actions to safeguard consumers and industry participants, tomato merchants and all pertinent partners are invited to collaborate.
Source: newsthemegh.com