Kpone, March 7, – Olam Agri Ghana has inaugurated a US$40 million pasta manufacturing facility at Kpone, aimed at reducing Ghana’s reliance on imported pasta by nearly 40 per cent.
The plant, commissioned by John Dramani Mahama, is part of the country’s broader strategy to accelerate industrialisation, strengthen food security, and promote import substitution.
Speaking at the event, Mr Sunny George Verghese, Group Chief Executive Officer of Olam Agri, said Ghana remained a strategic hub for the company’s operations in Africa, second only to Nigeria. He highlighted global agricultural challenges, including rising food demand, biodiversity loss, and the need to improve farmer livelihoods, calling for stronger public-private partnerships to address them.
Mr Neelamani Muthukumar, Chief Finance Officer of Olam Agri Ghana, said the facility, completed within 18 months, can produce 60,000 metric tonnes of pasta annually, meeting nearly half of domestic demand. “This means we can cater to 40 percent of Ghana’s pasta requirement,” he added. The plant has created 300 direct jobs and nearly 1,000 indirect employment opportunities within the Tema industrial corridor.
The project features world-class machinery and adheres to international production standards. Mr Verghese expressed gratitude to Ghanaian suppliers, farmers, customers, and the Government, noting Olam’s work with 5.4 million farmers globally to build sustainable agricultural value chains.
Between 2021 and 2024, Ghana imported pasta worth about US$140 million, ranking it the second-largest importer in Africa after Togo. The new plant is expected to significantly reduce import expenditure and position Ghana as a potential pasta exporter within the sub-region.
Madam Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, described the facility as a landmark for Ghana’s industrialisation drive. She urged Olam Agri to ensure local production translates into affordable prices for consumers and to collaborate with crop research institutions to support the Government’s “Feed the Industry” programme, aimed at supplying locally produced raw materials for domestic industries.
GHBUSS
07 March 2026
No comments:
Post a Comment