French Company to invest in fruit production in Ghana

A French Company, La Compagnie Fruitiere, the World's largest fresh fruits producing company, is to invest about seven million dollars this year in the production of pineapples in Ghana for export.

The company plans to invest about 20 million dollars in the next five years and employ 1,500 people. It is expected to export about 30,000 tonnes of pineapples per annum.

Mr Pierre Arnaud, Vice Chairman of the Company, said this when he led a three-man delegation to pay a courtesy call on President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Castle, Osu, on Friday.

Mr Arnaud said the company had already acquired land at Obom in the Eastern Region to begin the production of pineapples, while negotiating with the management of the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) to acquire Jei River Farms at the western part of the Greater Accra Region.

He said the company, established about 10 years ago had established similar companies in Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal and Cameroon and is investing in Ghana because of prospects.

The Vice Chairman said, in addition, the Company was negotiating for a container terminal at the Tema port to export their produce, which would in future include banana and vegetables.

President Kufuor said the government shared the same vision with the Company to establish industrial farms, provision of capital and know-how, create employment and export their produce.

He said while they assist to improve the living standard of the people within their area of operation, they should become good corporate citizens in Ghana.

"We want to be part of your team in order that Ghana can become a major exporter of fresh fruits to Europe because your operations in Cote d'Ivoire, which has the same vegetation as Ghana, thrived," he added.