Pwalugu Tomato Factory, also known as the Northern Star Tomato Company, is a Ghanaian tomato processing plant located in Pwalugu in the Upper East Region. [1] The factory produces puree and paste. [2]
The factory was established by Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first president. [3] Construction was completed in 1961, along with several other factories built around the same time to further the Nkrumah government's policy of import substitution. [4] However, the factory did not begin operating until 1973. [4]
After an extended closure, it recommenced operations in 2006 as Northern Star Tomato Company. [5] [6] At that time, it did not operate at full capacity. [7]
In 2009, the Ministry of Trade and Industry provided funding to pay staff salaries and purchase tomatoes from farmers. [7]
As of 2011, the factory had the capacity to handle 500 tonnes of raw tomatoes per day. [8] It underwent its most recent corporate reorganisation in 2014. [4]
The factory was featured in the 2019 Deutsche Welle documentary Tomatoes and Greed: The Exodus of Ghana's Farmers. [9] It has been reported that the factory had collapsed owing to the deprivation of the requisite tomato supply to let it work at the least level. [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]
Pwalugu Tomato Factory, also known as the Northern Star Tomato Company, is a Ghanaian tomato processing plant located in Pwalugu in the Upper East Region. [1] The factory produces puree and paste. [2]
The factory was established by Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first president. [3] Construction was completed in 1961, along with several other factories built around the same time to further the Nkrumah government's policy of import substitution. [4] However, the factory did not begin operating until 1973. [4]
After an extended closure, it recommenced operations in 2006 as Northern Star Tomato Company. [5] [6] At that time, it did not operate at full capacity. [7]
In 2009, the Ministry of Trade and Industry provided funding to pay staff salaries and purchase tomatoes from farmers. [7]
As of 2011, the factory had the capacity to handle 500 tonnes of raw tomatoes per day. [8] It underwent its most recent corporate reorganisation in 2014. [4]
The factory was featured in the 2019 Deutsche Welle documentary Tomatoes and Greed: The Exodus of Ghana's Farmers. [9] It has been reported that the factory had collapsed owing to the deprivation of the requisite tomato supply to let it work at the least level. [10] [11] [12] [13] [14]