Tomato farmers in the Ziope area of the Agortime-Ziope District in Ghana’s Volta Region report recurring post-harvest losses, a situation they say has continued for years without intervention. Farmers state that large volumes of produce rot on farms each year due to the absence of a ready market, and some are considering abandoning tomato production if no solutions are provided.
Mr Michael Agbobli, a farmer with five acres of tomatoes, said that poor returns are discouraging. He said the prices buyers offer do not reflect the high cost of cultivation. “A crate of tomatoes is being sold for as low as GH¢100.00 (about US$7.50), so I’ve even refused to harvest some of the crops because it’s just not worth it,” he said. Agbobli called on the government to establish a tomato processing factory in the district to reduce losses and support growers.
Madam Grace Adzolo, another farmer, expressed similar concerns. She questioned why successive governments had not built a tomato factory in the area to secure a market for farmers’ output. “We need action now. Even a mobile factory would help us reduce the losses and improve our livelihoods,” she said.
Mr Mawuli Abusah, Agortime-Ziope District Director of the Department of Food and Agriculture, acknowledged the situation. He said discussions on establishing a processing facility had taken place over the years, but without concrete results. Abusah noted that he recently spoke with an investor who had expressed interest in setting up a factory at Dabala Junction. The location, he explained, was proposed as a central point where tomatoes from Agortime-Ziope, Akatsi North, Anloga, Keta, and parts of Ada East and West Districts could be transported for processing.
Farmers in the district continue to wait for measures to reduce post-harvest losses, with the proposed factory seen as a potential solution to stabilise market access.
