{
  "id": 4787059,
  "title": "Ada tomato farmers call for probe into dying seedlings",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/01/ada-tomato-farmers-call-for-probe-into-dying-seedlings",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-01T04:39:38.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Ghana Business News",
    "slug": "ghana-business-news",
    "url": "https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2026/09/01/ada-tomato-farmers-call-for-probe-into-dying-seedlings/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Tomato farmers in the Ada East and West districts of Ghana's Greater Accra Region have requested a government investigation into a widespread issue with dying tomato seedlings. These farmers, who grow both small-scale and commercial crops, expressed worries about the viability of the 2026 farming season due to the losses already incurred. Eric Opoku, the Minister of Food and Agriculture, was asked to form a team of experts, including crop scientists, seed inspectors, and plant pathologists, to examine affected farms and pinpoint the cause of the seedlings' demise. The farmers also demanded that the investigation determine the origin and quality of the problematic seed batches and propose preventive measures. Bernard Mawutor Ametepe, representing several impacted farming communities, stated that the premature death of transplanted seedlings had left farmers uncertain about the season's outlook. He noted that the affected farmers had followed proper agronomic procedures, yet the seed quality or viability remained questionable. The losses could have severe financial consequences, particularly for farmers who had taken out loans to fund their operations. Ametepe warned that continued crop failures could lead to reduced household income, food insecurity, and a potential decline in the domestic tomato supply chain. He also highlighted that the issue of seed quality had been a concern in the region for around 15 years, suggesting that a thorough investigation was necessary to identify any weaknesses in the seed supply chain. Ametepe called on MoFA to work with seed suppliers, agro-dealers, the Ada Tomato Farmers Association, and other stakeholders to trace the source of the affected seeds and investigate whether there were any quality control lapses. He emphasized that the concerned communities were willing to cooperate with any investigation, offering access to farms and pertinent information to help authorities determine the cause of the seedling deaths. The farmers implored for immediate action to mitigate further losses and safeguard the livelihoods of tomato farmers in the two districts.",
  "summary": "Tomato farmers in the Ada East and West districts of the Greater Accra Region, have called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to investigate the widespread dying of tomato seedlings following transplantation on farms. The post Ada tomato farmers call for probe into dying seedlings appeared first on Ghana Business News .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}