The recent terrorist attack on tomato traders in Burkina Faso has begun impacting tomato prices in parts of Ghana, with traders and consumers in the Denu and Agbozume markets of the Ketu South Municipality reporting sharp increases.
Tomatoes, which are largely imported into Ghana from Burkina Faso during certain seasons, have seen price hikes following reports of the deadly attack that disrupted supply routes and trading activities.
A market survey by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Denu and Agbozume indicated that a basket of tomatoes previously sold at GHS30 is now going for GHS50, while smaller baskets that were sold at GHS20 are now selling between GHS30 and GHS35.
Tomato sellers attributed the price surge to supply shortages and transportation disruptions.
Some traders told the GNA that the flow of tomatoes from Burkina Faso had slowed significantly since the incident, creating scarcity in the system.
According to them, the shortage has made the commodity not only expensive but also difficult to access, forcing some traders to source supplies from neighbouring Togo at relatively higher costs.
Buyers who spoke to the GNA expressed concern about the rising cost of the commodity, describing the situation as worrying.
They said tomato prices began increasing shortly after news of the tragic incident in Burkina Faso broke, affecting household food budgets.
Ms Cynthia Ahiatsi, a buyer, said she had resorted to managing the situation for now.
She said, “I just have to manage for now and hope things return to normal.”
Some consumers also sympathised with families who lost loved ones in the attack, describing the development as unfortunate and devastating for regional trade.
Beyond the markets in the municipality, similar concerns have been reported in other major markets across the country, where traders have warned of possible further increases if supply routes remain unstable.
Traders are calling for strengthened regional trade coordination and improved local production to reduce imports during crisis periods.
Consumers have also urged the government to engage with its Burkinabe counterparts to ensure justice and restore safe trading conditions to prevent prolonged disruptions in the tomato supply chain.
GNA
