The Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, Abraham Koomson, has expressed concern over Ghana’s increasing reliance on neighbouring countries for essential food commodities such as tomatoes, onions and peppers.

He questioned why a country with vast arable land and favourable climatic conditions continues to depend on imports, particularly from Burkina Faso, to meet its food needs.

Mr Koomson said Ghana has the capacity to produce sufficient quantities of tomatoes locally and should not be in a position where traders risk their lives crossing borders to import basic agricultural produce.

His comments follow a recent directive by authorities in Burkina Faso to suspend the export of fresh tomatoes with immediate effect.

The decision, contained in a joint communiqué issued on March 16, 2026, was signed by the country’s Minister of Industry, Commerce and Artisanat, Serge Gnaniodem Poda, and Minister of State for Agriculture, Water, Animal and Fisheries Resources, Ismaël Sombie.

The move is aimed at protecting domestic tomato processing industries from shortages of raw materials.

Officials in Burkina Faso warned that violations of the directive would attract sanctions, with seized goods to be confiscated and handed over to local processing factories.

The export ban is expected to have ripple effects across the sub-region, particularly in Ghana, which maintains strong agricultural trade ties with Burkina Faso.

Communities in northern Ghana that depend heavily on cross-border supplies could face shortages and rising prices of fresh produce.

Speaking on Ahotor FM on March 21, Mr Koomson described the situation as worrying and unacceptable.

He called on the government and citizens to prioritise local food production and reduce dependence on imports.

The GFL Secretary-General also urged a revival of backyard farming, noting that household and community-level agriculture could help cushion the country against external shocks and improve food security.