Ziope Releases 200 Acres of Land for Tomato Cultivation ... to Feed Tomato Processing Factory

By Kafui Gati

Kpetoe — The chiefs and people of Ziope have released 200 acres of land for the cultivation of tomatoes to feed the proposed tomatoes processing factory.

The Chief Executive of Agortime Ziope District, David Dickson Dzokpe, disclosed this to the 'Ghanaian Times' at Kpetoe last Friday.

He explained that the project, which is under the One District one Factory (1D1F) policy, had taken a long time due to a search for reliable investors to partner government to implement the project.

However, the good news is that Dexaline Limited, a Ho-based agro processing company and its foreign partners have been given the nod to establish the factory.

The area, he said, was noted for producing a lot of tomatoes in the region, adding that, "the Assembly is poised to push for policies that will help to change the lives of the youth by giving them self employment."

Mr Dzokpe said the government was aware of the lots of challenges confronting the youth, which was why it found it necessary to introduce these policies to provide jobs.

He commended the chiefs and landowners for their unwavering determination to donate their lands to bring development and job creation to the area, adding that, the intervention would rekindle the spirit of hard work in the youth and also stop them from travelling to urban centres to seek non-existing jobs.

Mr Dzokpe, therefore, urged the youth to go into tomatoes farming, so that the raw materials supply to the factory would be continuous when production starts.

Mr George Dzidzah, Chief Executive Officer of Dexaline Limited, said feasibility study had been completed and very soon they would start the construction of the factory.

He said they were in touch with the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and other research institutions to come out with a high yielding tomatoes seed suitable for processing for the farmers to plant.

Mr Dzidzah also confirmed that the plant they will install can process 160 metric tons of tomatoes per day, and, therefore, called on other land owners to give out their lands for the project.

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