The Amantin Agro Processing Company Limited at Amantin in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipality of the Bono East Region is to start operation by the end of July 2021, the Administrator of the factory, Mr Napoleon Matthew Tei, has said.
According to him, about 94 per cent of work on the cassava processing facility under the government's flagship programme “one-district-one-factory” had been completed.

Mr Tei disclosed this when the Bono East Regional Minister, Mr Kwasi Adu-Gyan, paid a working visit to the factory to ascertain the progress of work during his three-day tour of the eastern part of the region.

"We intend to start actual production by the end of July 2021", he stated, explaining that test running and computer programming had started.

Production

The factory, when completed, is expected to produce industrial starch for both domestic and international markets.

The waste materials from the factory will also be used to produce animal feed which will be supplied to cattle, pigs and fish farmers in the area and beyond.

The factory is expected to process about 60 acres of raw cassava each day to produce 300 tonnes of industrial starch when it is in full operation. 

It is, however, expected to process about 18,000 tonnes of cassava during its initial stage of operation which will later expand to 36,000 tonnes of fresh cassava to produce the 300 tonnes of industrial starch daily.

The factory is expected to create about 6,000 direct and indirect jobs, consisting of 70 per cent males and 30 per cent females.

Raw materials

Mr Tei explained that the factory had cultivated 36,000 acres of cassava, which was ready for production, while additional 25,000 acres of cassava hand been planted.

He explained that the factory had also engaged thousands of out-growers to ensure that more raw materials were available to feed the factory all year round.

Mr Tei said the out-growers had been supported with farm implements such as planting materials, fertilisers and chemicals in addition to assisting them in the preparation of their farmland.

"We intend to extend our facilities to the out-growers to ensure that the factory runs daily without shortage of raw materials", Mr Tei stated.

Local employment

Mr Tei said majority of the workers would be employed from the district, saying "the first people we intend to employ are the locals. They will be doing more on producing the raw materials".

He added that the establishment of the factory was aimed at enhancing the lives of citizens in the area.

He said the factory would ensure that agriculture became a business venture for the people in the area to attract young people to venture into the sector.