Twifo Ntafrewaso (C/R), Sept. 23, GNA - The Twifo Oil Palm Plantation (TOPP) has completed a 500-million-dollar expansion to enable it increase the production of processed palm fruits from 20 tonnes to 30 tonnes per hour.

The Managing Director of TOPP, Mr Kwame Addai, who announced this when the Minister of Private Sector Development, Mr Kwamena Bartels, visited the factory on Monday said the company has also installed high-powered threshing, hoisting and pressing machinery. Mr Kwesi Opoku, Co-ordinator of the President Special Initiative (PSI) on Oil Palm, accompanied him.

They also visited the Benso Oil Palm Plantation (BOPP) in the Western Region.

Addressing the TOPP management Mr Bartels commended them for the good work done and expressed the hope that with the expansion the factory would enhance its successes in the coming years. Mr Addai told the minister that the lack of land for expansion of its oil palm plantation was one of the major problems facing the factory.

"The installation of the new machinery would be meaningless if the needed raw materials are not available to enable the factory to meet its requirements," he added.