President Ibrahim Traoré inaugurates new US$8.9M tomato processing plant in Burkina Faso

BURKINA FASO – President Ibrahim Traoré officially launched a new tomato processing facility in Pognongo, located in the Yako department. 

The plant, named Société Faso Tomates (SOFATO), represents a significant investment totaling US$8.9 million, funded by the Cooperative Society with Board of Directors “Building the Future” (SCOOP-CA/BA).

The new plant has the capacity to process 5 tons of tomatoes per hour to produce various tomato-based products. 

Aziz Nignan, Chairman of SCOOP-CA/BA, shared that the facility aims to generate a turnover of US$11.2 million within its first year of operation.

The plant is set to begin marketing its products in January 2025.

This facility is part of a broader effort to enhance Burkina Faso’s tomato processing capabilities and reduce the country’s reliance on imported tomato paste. 

The launch of the SOFATO plant follows the inauguration of a similar facility in Bobo-Dioulasso on November 30, which also has a processing capacity of 6 tons per hour for tomato concentrate.

These developments are expected to support local tomato production, which is already among the largest in West Africa. 

In 2022, Burkina Faso harvested over 313,500 tonnes of tomatoes, ranking as the fourth largest producer in the region behind Nigeria, Ghana, and Niger.

Despite this, the country imported 23,600 tonnes of tomato puree worth more than US$8 million that year, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

With these new investments, Burkina Faso aims to increase its domestic production capacity, creating a more sustainable supply chain for its growing processing industry. 

The latest facilities are also expected to help the country better meet local demand for processed tomato products, while reducing its dependency on imports.

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