Tomato farmers appeal to government to curb imports

Sunyani, Nov. 17, GNA - Tomato growers in the Brong-Ahafo Region and some parts of the Ashanti Region have decried challenges including unfair trade regulations and unfair prices that militate against the industry and called on the government to help them to solve these problems problems. Mr. Paul K. Mensah, Secretary of Tomato Growers Association, presented a litany of challenges at a one day regional dialogue on market access for tomato farmers organised by Centre for Sustainable Development and Action Aid Ghana, both NGOs, in collaboration with the association.

Representatives of tomato farmers from Derma, Tuobodom, Techimantia, Dwomo in the Brong-Ahafo Region and Akomadan, Sabronum and Agogo in the Ashanti Region attended the workshop.

Mr. Mensah said the farmers had observed that the market was flooded with cheap tomato imports, mainly from the European Union (EU) as about 20 per cent of the EU exports of tinned tomato paste and puree were sent to West Africa.

"Even local processors preferred importing tomato paste from outside the country to be canned here. No wonder Ghana is said to be the second world importer of tomatoes after Germany, with more than 230 brands of canned tomatoes on the market."

"This situation is due to the unfair trade regulations of the World Trade Organisation and dictates of the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank which demand that Ghana opens her market to artificially cheapened products," he said.

Mr. Mensah said the farmers were aware that whilst Ghana did not pay subsidies to farmers, the developed countries did that. "The EU guarantees European tomato producers a minimum price and subsidizes tomato processors and exporters."

He said processed tomato products in EU received about 300 million Euros per year indirect subsidies and that was how cheap imported tomato products found their way onto the Ghanaian market.

The farmers appealed to the government to encourage local processors to buy locally produced tomatoes at good prices to make the vocation attractive to both the young and old.

"We are also appealing to the authorities to have a second look at advertisement of foreign brands of tomatoes on the local media."

Touching on the size of crates used in buying tomatoes, Mr. Mensah said the farmers wanted the formulation of the necessary legislative instrument to reduce the current weight of the crate, which he said had caused the demise and paralysis of some of their members.

"We would like to appeal to the government to help encourage those local processors to buy tomatoes at reasonable prices in the absence of subsidies that our colleagues in the developed countries are enjoying to make this tedious work attractive", he added.

Responding to the farmers' concerns, Mr. Michael Kwabena Gyamfi, an Assistant Director at the Regional Co-ordinating Council, who represented the Regional Minister, Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, gave the assurance that the government was committed to ensuring that the machinery was put in place to step up food production in the country.

He cited Vice President John Mahama's recent visit to China during which China expressed willingness to provide machinery to help increase agricultural production, adding the government was also collaborating with relevant agencies to help farmers to maximize their produce.

Mr. Gyamfi assured the farmers 0f accessible roads to farm gates, irrigation and storage facilities would be worked on and appealed to farmers to form co-operative groups so they could access credits to supplement government efforts.

Ms Christiana Amarchey, regional programme manager of Action Aid Ghana, said the NGO was collaborating with other stakeholders in finding challenges that confronted the farmers.

"Let's learn together to help improve our activities and support each other so we can achieve our goals since the government alone cannot do all to improve agriculture".