The East, Volta and Oti branch of the Ghana Industries Association (AGI) praised the government for reviving the distressed Astek fruit processing company.

Mr. Dela Gadzanku, chairman of the Eastern Branch, Volta and Oti, who praised it in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), said the plant would help boost the economic development of the eastern region and the country as a whole.

He said that the reopening of the factory came at a time as the country was preparing to take full advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA).

He congratulated the Ghana Exim Bank for injecting capital into the business and expressed hope that additional funds would be secured for the next phase of the project.

He said it was important for the government to facilitate the creation of new industries, “it is also just as important to reorganize struggling but viable industries across the country.”

Nano Foods Limited, a pineapple juice processing plant in Nsawam in the Eastern region, under the One-District, One-Factory (1D1F) initiative, took place on Thursday, May 20, 2021 , at the request of the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Nano Foods Limited, a former ASTEK Refresh pineapple juice factory, was rejuvenated with capital support of US $ 1.6 million, through the Ghana Export-Import Bank (EXIM Bank) in 2018.

The company becomes the 77th operating plant under the 1D1F program, which began commercial production in April this year.

It is expected to produce up to 6,000 metric tonnes of pineapple fruit juice per year, which equates to eight million cans of finished packaged products.

The resuscitation of the ASTEK company was part of the “One district, one factory” policy and aims to create jobs for the teeming youth of Nsawam and its surroundings.

ASTEK started the fruit processing work in 1982, however, the company closed its operations in 2009 due to financial difficulties.