Ghana trade shifts as tomato exports rise and machinery imports grow

Ghana is experiencing significant shifts in its regional trade dynamics, marked by both agricultural surpluses and a sudden increase in industrial imports.

In the agricultural sector, Ghana has temporarily halted tomato imports from Burkina Faso due to a surge in local production. Eric Osei Tuffour, Head of the Ghana National Tomato Traders and Transport Association, stated that local yields are now abundant enough to support exports to neighboring countries. Current supplies are expected to sustain domestic needs through mid-December, with production potentially lasting until early 2027.

Simultaneously, Ghana’s trade balance with the African continent shifted from a GH¢12.3 billion surplus in the first quarter of 2026 to a GH¢4.4 billion deficit in the second quarter. According to the Ghana Statistical Service, this reversal was largely driven by a sharp increase in imports from South Africa. Specifically, pump parts valued at approximately GH¢10 billion accounted for a significant portion of the total African import bill, representing 42.5 percent of Ghana’s total imports from the continent during that period.