President John Dramani Mahama has announced plans to rehabilitate the Pwalugu Tomato Factory in the Upper East Region as part of an ambitious strategy to expand tomato production, irrigation and agro-processing in the region.
The President said the factory would become the main processing hub for tomatoes produced under a planned expansion of cultivation, creating a stronger link between farmers and agro-processing industries while reducing post-harvest losses and promoting local value addition.
President Mahama announced a citizens’ engagement in Navrongo as part of his working visit to the Upper East Region.
He said agriculture and agro-processing would constitute the largest component of the government’s proposed New Economy programme, which focuses on seven strategic sectors.
According to President Mahama, the government intends to invest $2.5 billion annually over four years, amounting to a total planned investment of $10 billion across the seven sectors.
He said agriculture and agro-processing would receive half of the total investment, representing $5 billion.
“The biggest is agriculture and agro-processing. And that’s where the Upper East comes in,” President Mahama said.
The President assured residents of the Upper East Region that the area would benefit significantly from the investment, particularly through the expansion of irrigation infrastructure to support year-round farming.
He said increased access to irrigation would enable farmers to produce beyond the rainy season and create new opportunities for young people to engage in agriculture throughout the year.
2,500-Acre Tomato Production Target
President Mahama disclosed that the government was targeting approximately 2,500 acres of land for tomato cultivation, with the Pwalugu Tomato Factory positioned at the centre of the planned production and processing chain.
“We can bring in 2,500 acres of land under tomato production. And the Pwalugu tomato factory is going to be the epicentre of it,” he said.
He explained that rehabilitating the factory would enable tomatoes produced in the Upper East Region to be processed locally and distributed to markets across the country.
The initiative, he said, would strengthen the relationship between farmers and agro-processing companies, reduce post-harvest losses and boost local value addition.
President Mahama further noted that the Upper East Region possessed enormous potential to produce tomatoes, vegetables and other crops required to meet domestic demand.
“We’ve started. We have the tomato revitalisation project that is taking place here,” he said.
Tamne Irrigation Dam to Boost Dry-Season Farming
Beyond tomato production, the President announced plans to complete the Tamne irrigation dam to support dry-season farming in four districts in the Bawku area.
He said that the completion of the project would expand access to irrigation and enable farmers in the affected districts to increase agricultural production year-round.
“We’ll finish the Tamne irrigation dam so that the four districts in the Bawku area can also go into their dry-season production,” he said.
Push to Reduce Onion Imports
President Mahama also outlined plans to increase domestic onion production as part of efforts to reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported onions from Niger.
He said expanded irrigation would enable farmers to cultivate onions on a larger scale and gradually replace imported produce with locally grown onions.
“We want to cut down the amount of onions we import from Niger. And if we put enough land under irrigation, we should be able to import, substitute, and produce our own onions,” he said.
The measures form part of the government’s broader agricultural transformation agenda, aimed at strengthening food security, expanding agro-processing, creating jobs and reducing Ghana’s reliance on imported agricultural products.
The planned revival of the Pwalugu Tomato Factory, expansion of irrigation infrastructure and completion of the Tamne irrigation dam are expected to position the Upper East Region as a major hub for commercial agriculture and agro-processing.
Source: Felix Nyaaba/expressnewsghana.com
