Ghanaian Tomatoes Farmers Work For Nothing …. Lose Billions
Gideon Sackitey

Ghanadot research of tomatoe farmers at Ada-Kasseh in the Greater Accra region shows that they are losing billions of cedis annually especially this year due to unfair trade conditions.

Ada-Kasseh with a population of 120,000 has about 5000 tomatoes farmers that produce more than 5,200 metric tons of tomatoes every season. But of this production more than 50% go waste.

In the 1970's Ada-Kasseh used to be the major district in Ghana which supplied the Nsawam Cannery (GIHOC) with fresh tomatoes but because of her production has gone down government inactive in the tomatoes industry in the country.

Concerns have been raise as to why the government has neglected the tomatoes industry in the area and even allowing a factory near Ada to go waste.

According to the farmers the non-participation and virtual absence of government in the tomatoes industry has brought serious hardship to the people engaged in the business in their area.

The Ghana Trade Livelihood Coalition (GTLC), a Non Governmental Organization (NGO) which is working at sensitizing the farmers told Ghanadot that it has 60 farmers and producers under its tutelage and creating a platform for them to bring out the complaints of farmers to state their qualms.

Mr. Ibrahim Akalbila National Coordinator of GTLC complained bitterly about government’s position in that, it does not include farmers on policy issues and decision-making on trade, which has put them in the current quagmire.

He said if government was interested in farmers sustaining production, especially, more than 90% of the nation's food, then there is the need to improve the local capacity as well as increment of the export tariff on imported tomatoes paste to about 30%.

Mr Akalbila called on government to address major constraints such as poor road network, establishment of efficient irrigation facilities, high lending rates as well as access to credit facilities to help them produce in large quantity and at the same time prevent Ghanaians from patronizing the imported ones which have 72% addictives.


The GTLC said it organises “Tomatoes Farmers Durbars” to highlight the challenges faced by local tomato farmers despite their potential to supply the nation's needs.

The Peasant Farmers’ Association (PFA) commended the government for placing a ban on the importation of tomato pastes into the country and called for its total ban to assists the local industry to improve on its production.

They also protested vehemently against the signing of the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which they believe will undermine the development of West African state’s industrial capacity and destroy national economies completely.
They also argued strongly against the idea of reciprocity under the EPA, where African, Caribbean and Pacific states would have 100 per cent access to EU market as against the latter’s 80 per cent access to ACP markets.

“But it is very clear that the EU heavily subsidizes its agricultural and industry and non, absolutely non of the ACP states can match up even in the short or long run,” a member of the PFA argued.

The EPA free trade agreements currently being negotiated between the European Union (EU) and the West African Caribbean and Pacific countries is supposed to be signed by 31st December this year.

According to them if African leaders agree and sign the agreement, it will kill the tomatoes, poultry and fishery sectors in Ghana because it will facilitate the flow of big time super markets in the country whiles the small entrepreneurs would loose out completely.

They however called on the ECOWAS protocols to fully integrate and be competitive before signing takes place if at all.

The Ghana Trades Union Congress has however; called on government not to sign the EPA since it has the potential of wiping out the Ghanaian economy.

 

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