Martin Kpebu has called on Ghana to better utilize its arable land to boost the production of tomatoes and other crops in order to support local consumption and reduce reliance on imports.
According to him, Burkina Faso’s recent suspension of tomato exports shows the urgent need for Ghana to invest more in agribusiness.
He noted that it is worrying that Burkina Faso, despite its dry land, is able to supply neighbouring countries with tomatoes, while Ghana, blessed with fertile soil, continues to lag behind.
Speaking on TV3’s The KeyPoints, Kpebu said, “This should cause Ghana to step up agribusiness; we can’t continue to be fed by Burkina Faso, a dry land.”
He added, “Look at the land, we have a lot of arable land here, we have no excuse. People in the desert are doing serious farming.”
Burkina Faso suspended all fresh tomato exports across its territory with immediate effect, as the military-led government moves to protect domestic processing units from supply shortages.
The ban, announced in a joint communiqué dated March 16, 2026, was signed by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Artisanat, Serge Gnaniodem Poda, and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Water, Animal and Fisheries Resources, Commandant Ismaël Sombie.
The directive applies nationwide and will remain in force “until further notice.”
It covers all economic operators involved in fresh tomato exports, while the issuance of Special Export Authorisations (ASE) has been suspended immediately.
Exporters holding valid authorisations have been granted a two-week grace period to complete pending shipments, after which all existing authorisations will be null and void.
Meanwhile, the Government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, has announced plans to engage authorities in Burkina Faso over the suspension.
The government emphasised its commitment to boosting local tomato production under the “Feed Ghana” and “Feed the Industry” programmes, which aim to increase output and meet domestic demand.
