Ekumfi-Essueshyia (C/R), Aug 13, GNA - A French agricultural expert, Mr Francis Rossey and Madam Sandrine Holden, Commercial Attach=E9 of the French Embassy in Ghana, on Thursday inspected site for the proposed Pineapple Processing Factory at Ekumfi-Essuehyia. They were accompanied by Mr N. A. Welbeck Jnr, Executive Chairman of N and C Food Processing Company, which had entered into partnership with members of the Ekumfi Central Pineapple Processing Company to set up the factory.

Briefing newsmen after the inspection, Mr Welbeck said the inspection was part of efforts to source financial support from French Banks for the project.

He said initially the N and C Company would spend 1.2 million dollars to get the factory in full operation by October this year. An amount of 500 dollars would be used for the immediate rehabilitation of the old structures of a coconut oil factory, which had been earmarked for the project while 700 dollars would be for the installation of the processing plant.

According to Mr Welbeck, the company would increase its investment to 3.4 million dollars within the next five years and raise the labour force of the proposed Central Pineapple Processing Company to more than 1,000.

Earlier Mr Rossey and Madam Holden together with some executive officers of the company, including Nana Obrenu IV and Nana Adwenmoa and Mr Welbeck inspected the land documents of the site. Mr Rossey and Madam Holden expressed optimism that the proposed factory would help in reducing the unemployment rate in the area and improve the economic status of the people in the Ekumfi Traditional Area.