GHANA – Ghana is scheduled to commence operations on its almost completed US$4 million maize processing factory in Ashanti region by November this year.
This was revealed by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Alan Kyerematen as he inspected the progress of the work on the 440 square metre facility, reports Ghana Web.
“The One-District One-Factory initiative is a private sector-led programme. However, with areas where the private sector is yet to come, we developed the common user-processing facilities pillar to bring farmer groups together to own their factory and add value to their produce,”
Alan Kyerematen – Minister of Trade and Industry Ghana
The factory which is initiated under the One-District-One-Factory initiative falls under the Common User-processing facility pillar.
Under this pillar, farmer groups are given financial support by the government to set up and manage a factory in their area to enable them to realise maximum benefits for their produce.
“The One-District One-Factory initiative is a private sector-led programme. However, with areas where the private sector is yet to come, we developed the common user-processing facilities pillar to bring farmer groups together to own their factory and add value to their produce,” said Alan.
Currently, out of the 232 factories being established under the 1D1F initiative in different sectors and at various stages of completion spread across the country, five are common user-processing facilities.
Farmers in the region will supply the factory with raw materials to add value to their produce aimed at reducing post-harvest losses thus ensuring food security.
The new facility will be equipped with two main warehouses, a processing unit installed with modern machines and an administration block.
Work on-going on US$34m starch processing factory
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has also inspected ongoing work on a US$34 million starch processing factory at Amantin, in Bono East Region.
The Amantin Agro Processing Ltd, a wholly owned Ghanaian company when fully completed will be one of the most modernised and fully automated industrial starch factories in West Africa, indicated the reports.
The company is currently cultivating fourteen thousand (14,000) acres of farm land as its own nucleus plantation, whilst supporting thousands of local farmers to cultivate over 40,000 acres of cassava under an Out-grower Scheme involving 15,000 Principal Out Growers.
The factory is expected to create about 450 direct jobs at the factory floor, with more than 30,000 indirect employment opportunities.
Additionally, the factory with production capacity of 300 metric tons of industrial starch per day for the first phase, and 600 metric tons per day for the second phase, will significantly reduce the importation of industrial starch into the country and thereby reduce the pressure on the country’s currency.
The product from Amantin Agro Processing Ltd is going to serve as a major source of raw material input for many processing companies in the food, beverages, pharmaceuticals and textiles industries of the country.
Establishment of US$16 million tomato processing factory
The government is also undertaking the construction of the US$16 million Weddi Africa tomato processing factory located in Domfete, in Berekum, Bono East Region.
The factory will have an installed capacity to process 40,000 metric tons of fresh tomato per annum. This is translated into 720 crates of tomatoes per shift per day, with the factory also possessing a 500-metric ton cold room facility to hold fresh tomato fruits.
The company has established a 2,400-acre farm land as nucleus farm, and also spearheaded the establishment of the Tomato Out-grower Farmers Association in Tano North and Berekum West Districts, with 2,000 registered farmers from Ahafo and Bono regions.
Once fully completed, it will create about 186 direct jobs, with more than 3,000 indirect job opportunities in the Berekum West District and other surrounding communities.
Some of the other on-going projects under the program include a cashew nut processing factory in Tain, Ekumfi Fruits and Juices factory and Elmina Fishing Port Project, among others.
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