Government and Farmmate launch Volta tomato drive to cut imports

Pinned summary · as of 16:46

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture has started the first phase of a programme to grow more tomatoes at home and rely less on imports. Minister Eric Opoku presided over the start-up in the Volta Region on Wednesday, 16 September 2026, working with the agribusiness firm Farmmate Ghana Limited.

What we know

• Food and Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku opened Phase I of a local tomato production initiative in the Volta Region, a joint effort between the ministry and Farmmate Ghana Limited.
• The Volta event gathered ministry representatives, private-sector partners and farmers, according to both The Vaultz News and Onua Online.
• The stated purpose of the programme is to lessen Ghana's reliance on imported tomatoes by raising domestic output.

What's disputed / unconfirmed

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  The Vaultz News reported that Phase I for the 2026-2027 season targets 100,000 tonnes of fresh tomatoes from 10,000 hectares, with a longer-term goal of 400,000 tonnes a year. Mr Opoku said later phases would extend to areas of Greater Accra, Northern, Upper East, Bono and Bono East. No other report carried these targets.
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  According to The Vaultz News, Farmmate would supply mechanisation, improved seed, extension support and guaranteed buyers, while the ministry would help with land, irrigation, policy support and links to finance. Enrolled farmers would get input credit repaid after harvest. Two tomato processing factories in the Volta Region are also planned, along with aggregation centres and cold storage. These details are from one report only.
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  The Vaultz News quoted Mr Opoku as saying Ghana spends more than 00 million a year on tomato and tomato product imports, that local farms meet only about 30 percent of demand, and that farmers lose up to 40 percent of output after harvest for want of processing plants. These figures have not been confirmed elsewhere.
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  Mr Opoku told the launch that the project rests on import substitution, economic empowerment and value addition and would create thousands of jobs along the chain from farm to market. “We are not just launching a farming project today. We are launching a new era for Ghana’s tomato industry,” he said, according to The Vaultz News.
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  The chief executive of Farmmate Ghana Limited said the company has already assembled tractors, combine harvesters and irrigation equipment, as reported by The Vaultz News. Farmers in the Volta Region said they had dropped tomato growing because of weak markets, high input costs and unsold produce in glut seasons.
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  Onua Online reported that John Dumelo, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture, accompanied Mr Opoku. It also said the ministry expects the scheme to lift yields and cut the import bill, to bring private-sector skills into the sector, and to make farming more appealing to young people. Other reports have not confirmed these points.

Why it matters for Ghana

Tomatoes are a daily staple in Ghanaian kitchens, and the minister's stated concern is how much foreign exchange goes on imports. If Volta farmers get reliable buyers and processing plants, the ministry's own account suggests less spoilage and more work in farming and processing. Farmers who left tomato growing over poor markets will be watching whether the promised buyers materialise.