According to the traders, farmers in the neighbouring country have been increasing the price of tomatoes almost every three days since the beginning of the year.

A former National Coordinator of the Greater Accra Tomato Traders Association, Ghana, Mr Jones Tagoe, said the price of tomatoes had increased almost three times within a week.

He said quoted at 30,000 CFA (GH¢210) per maxi box on January 8, this year, the price of the produce was increased to 85,000 CFA (GH¢ 595) by Sunday, January 15, 2017.

“We want them to know that if they don’t stabilise the price of the commodity, we shall stop our traders from entering Burkina Faso to purchase tomatoes.”

Tomato cultivation in Ghana

Although farmers in Navrongo and Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region also grow tomatoes, the tomato traders insist that they stopped patronising the locally grown produce because of the same exorbitant pricing issues.

In addition, he said farmers in the two districts cultivated tomatoes on a small scale, hence they were unable to meet the demands of the local markets.

Burkinabes do not consume tomatoes in volumes compared to the demand in Ghana. The farmers there, therefore, capitalise on the demand from Ghana and other neighbouring countries in West Africa to grow and market their produce.

Mr Tagoe called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to help more Ghanaian farmers to cultivate tomatoes.

Shortage

Mr Tagoe also appealed to the Ministry of Trade and Industry to come to their aid.

“As it has started now if we do not put a halt to it, they will continue to increase it and our people will not be able to buy it. This will lead to shortage and subsequently high prices on the local market,” he explained.

Instability killing local market

“An increment of 55,000 CFA over a week is simply outrageous. This is a threat to the business. We have not been told the reasons behind the increment. This is killing our business here,” the National Coordinator of the Tomato Traders Association, Mr Micky Tagoe, stated.

He added, “We want them to know that if they don’t stabilise the prices this business may not survive. We really like working with them but instability in prices is a problem too big to accommodate,” he said.

Reaction

A tomato seller in Accra, Ms Gifty Ashun, lamented the high price of the commodity, saying clients also complained about the high price.

She said customers complained when the price was pegged at GH¢ 400.00 and could not, therefore, increase it to GH¢600 per box of tomatoes.