Why Burkina Faso banned the export of tomatoes – Dr Otokunor explains

On Monday, March 16, 2026, Burkina Faso announced the suspension of all fresh tomato exports with immediate effect. The move, according to officials, is intended to protect domestic processing factories from supply shortages.

The decision has since unsettled Ghanaian tomato traders, who rely heavily on imports from Burkina Faso to meet demand for the perishable crop. Concerns are mounting that the ban could trigger shortages in Ghana and drive up market prices.

Speaking on TV3’s The KeyPoints, the Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, explained that Burkina Faso’s government has established tomato processing plants to add value to its produce.

From their perspective, he noted, the ban is a fair measure. However, he said the Government of Ghana will engage Burkina Faso diplomatically to minimize the impact on local supply.

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Otokunor revealed that Ghana currently imports up to 75 percent of its tomatoes during the dry season from Burkina Faso.

The ban, he said, exposes Ghana’s agricultural vulnerabilities and highlights the urgent need to strengthen domestic production.

“They have set up factories to process their tomatoes, so it is fair from their perspective,” he stated.

“It is important to engage them constructively while we fix our internal production challenges,” he added.

The suspension was formalized in a joint communiqué dated March 16, 2026, 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.

SA