K.T. Hammond
Government is supporting the private sector to enhance the local production of food preparations for children, Minister for Trade and Industry, K.T. Hammond has said.
According to him, this is partly through the One District One Factory (1DIF) Programme and the commendable efforts of key companies in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry.
Responding to questions on the floor of Parliament yesterday, the minister disclosed that the import bill for food preparations for infant use, which was approximately US$25 million in 2021, reduced to US$20 million in 2022.
“Mr. Speaker, in this regard, Government will continue to assist the growth of the food sector through targeted interventions, especially companies specialising in the manufacture of food preparations for infant use,” he stated.
Mr. Hammond said this would further reduce the import bill on infant food preparations.
According to him, under the 1D1F Programme, Premium Foods Limited, located at Kwaso in the Ejisu Municipality in the Ashanti Region, installed a new production line with capacity to produce 18 tons per hour of highly nutritious fortified blended foods and ingredients.
The company has installed additional silos with storage capacity of 17,600 metric tons to ensure consistent supply of raw materials, he added.
“Mr. Speaker, also under the 1D1F, Yedent Agro Group of Companies, located at Abesim in the Sunyani Municipality in the Bono Region, has installed production capacity of 1,000 MT per annum for the production of fortified foods for children,” he noted.
He disclosed that a leading FMCG company, Nestlé Ghana Limited, commissioned in June 2022 a new Plant in Tema for Instant Cereal at the cost of GH¢175 million.
“The production capacity is 6,700 tons per annum, making Nestlé’s Tema factory the primary hub for infant cereals in Ghana and 24 other countries in Central and West Africa.
“It is projected that the next phase of expansion will provide an additional 6,700 tons of production capacity at the cost of GH¢56 million. It will be completed in 2024,” he noted.
By Ernest Kofi Adu, Parliament House