The Food and Beverages Association of Ghana has delivered a strong warning to the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, calling for immediate steps to address the country’s tomato shortage or risk becoming irrelevant.

In a sharply worded statement issued on Monday, the association argued that there is little justification for the ministry’s role if the country is unable to produce tomatoes within a 60 to 90-day period.

FABAG expressed deep concern over the current shortage, which followed a ban on tomato exports by Burkina Faso. It said the development has laid bare significant gaps in planning and policy within Ghana’s agricultural sector.

The group criticised the country’s continued reliance on external sources for a staple food item, despite having abundant agricultural potential. It pointed out that tomatoes are a fast-maturing crop that can be cultivated and harvested within a few months under the right conditions.

According to the association, any inability to quickly resolve the situation reflects a failure in leadership, insisting that Ghana possesses the land, irrigation infrastructure, labour force, research capacity and inputs needed to boost production.

FABAG further warned that overdependence on imports poses a threat to national food security.

It is therefore calling for urgent interventions, including the rollout of a national tomato initiative, rapid distribution of seeds, subsidised farm inputs, expansion of irrigation systems, mobilisation of youth, and investment in processing and storage.

The association is also pushing for the country to achieve self-sufficiency in tomato production within a year.

It stressed that decisive action cannot be delayed and concluded by urging government to consider restructuring the ministry into a production-driven agricultural authority with clear performance targets if the situation is not addressed within the next few months.