Accra, Sept. 10, GNA - Nestle Ghana, a leading nutrition and foods company, has commissioned a GH¢47.8 million-plant for the production of Cerelac, an infant food, for export to countries in West and Central Africa.

The state-of-the-art plant, built with probiotic technology has a production capacity of 9000 tons per year and could be scaled up to 18,000 tons to meet increased demands.

Cerelac is said to contain probiotic Bifidus, which is clinically proven to help keep babies intestinal flora healthy and strengthen their natural defences.

"With this new plant, Nestle will run eight factories in Central and West Africa Region and all of them are ISO certified," Mr Etienne Benet, Nestle Head of Central and West Africa Region said.

"We are convinced that the choice of Ghana is the best due to the strong governance and willingness of the Ghanaian authorities to welcome and promote foreign investment," he added.

Nestle Ghana Managing Director Mr Samer Chedid said the new plant, which expects to double its production to 18,000 tons per year soon, would cover 22 countries in the two sub-regions, with a substantial amount of the product entering the Nigeria market.

He underscored the commitment of Nestle to the development and welfare of the people, saying the new production line was a confirmation of the good business climate in the country.

There are no immediate data on the demand and export volumes for cerelac in Ghana and the sub-region.

"Using local raw materials for construction and some local raw materials for production shows that whenever possible, Nestle prefers to source locally," Mr Chedid said.

In a statement read for him, President Evans Atta Mills, said Nestle's investment was a demonstration of confidence in the country's economy as the preferred investment destination in Africa.