Accra, March. 11, GNA - The Tomatoes Processing Promotion Centre at Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region is to be commissioned in August this year when test trial for the processing of tomatoes is expected to begin.

Mr. Enerst Debrah, Minister of Food and Agriculture, told Parliament on Tuesday that the processing plant, imported from Italy was already at the project site ready for installation.

The Minister, who was responding to a question on when the tomato factory would be commissioned, said the project in Techiman was a pilot programme started in 2002, to reduce the high post harvest losses being incurred by tomato farmers in the region but budgetary constraints stalled the project until the Italian government came in with some support.

"The existing structure could not accommodate the steam boiler and thus necessitated the reconstruction of the boiler house which is still on going. This has caused the delay in the installation programme too", he said.

He said a transformer has been installed and extension of power to the factory would be completed by the end of this month and then installation of the plant would be carried out.

Earlier, Mr Debrah, in response to a question on plans to provide resources to farmers in the three northern regions during this year's farming season, told the House that currently the ministry had distributed water pumps, PVC pipes, seeds, fertilizers and pesticides to several farmers in the three regions before the rains start.