Farmers in the Asante Akim North Municipality of Ghana's Ashanti Region have confirmed that government officials have started purchasing tomatoes and onions, following a recent directive by President John Mahama.
On September 15, 2025, the president instructed that 1,000 boxes of tomatoes and 2,000 bags of onions be bought from farmers in the municipality. The move was intended to address post-harvest losses and improve access to markets. Initial reports suggested that the produce had already been purchased, but local media later confirmed that the directive had not yet been implemented.
According to Prince Obeng Amoako, the 2024 Municipal Best Farmer, a government delegation visited the area on September 23 to begin procurement. "Yeah, it's true. They came to Awukugua to buy some of the bags, not all. They bought 800 mini bags of onions from us, and I learned they went to the tomato market too, to buy some of the tomatoes. That is the information I have," he said.
Amoako noted that it was unclear if the purchases included the full 1,000 boxes of tomatoes as directed. He added that officials assured farmers they would return to acquire the remaining onions to meet the 2,000-bag target.
While acknowledging the start of the purchases, Amoako called for further support to ensure the remaining stocks are bought. "I am very grateful to the President and the MP, MCE, and all the leadership here. I'm just appealing to them to still come to our aid and buy the remaining stocks for us," he said.
The government's intervention comes amid ongoing concerns among farmers about surplus production and limited access to reliable sales channels.
Source: CitiNewsRoom