Northern Star Tomato Company Ready For Production

Saturday February 06, 2010
By GNA

The Northern Star Tomato Company (NSTC) at Pwalugu, near Bolgatanga, is ready to start production, the consultant for the project, Charles Gunu, has said.

He could, however, not say how soon.

He said this on Thursday when the Upper East Regional Minister, Mark Woyongo, paid a day’s working visit to the factory.

The five million-dollar rehabilitated factory would bring relief to tomato farmers who are confronted with problems of marketing their produce and confrontations with market queens who buy tomatoes from neighbouring Burkina Faso leaving the local farmers to their fate.

Mr. Gunu, who conducted the Minister round the factory, said machines at the facility including a boiler, an evaporator, a finisher, a washer, and a separator as well as a tomato processor, had been tested, certified and ready for production.

He said GH¢2.8 million was required for the company to purchase 23,000 empty tomato crates, tomatoes and transport the vegetables from the various locations within the region to the factory.

Briefing the Minister on supply of water to the company, the Regional Manager in charge of Distribution at the Ghana Water Company (GWCL) in Bolgatanga, George Ayanoore, said there were problems in supplying water to the factory because the GWCL did not have the required water pumping machine to pump water to the factory.

He, however, gave the assurance that in two weeks, the equipment would be in place.

Mr. Richard Kansang, a private electrical contractor in charge of electrical works at the company, said about 90 per cent of the work was completed and that some few machines were needed to start full scale electrical powering of the factory.

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