The Ministry for Trade, Industry and Agribusiness has revealed that the Walewale Watermelon Processing Factory requires an additional GH¢38 million to be fully operationalised.
Addressing Parliament on Tuesday, July 8, the sector Minister, Elizabeth Ofosu Agyare, disclosed that the factory remains non-operational and cited the need for additional funds to complete the setup.
According to the Minister, the current facility is built solely for concentrate production, and a second factory is needed for bottling—an essential component for full-scale operations.
“As of now, the amount they need is GH₵38 million, and I am working with Exim to ensure that we help them with that fund. The factory has not produced the juice yet. The factory is not ready yet,” the Minister explained.
The factory has remained idle months after its grand commissioning in November 2024 by then Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia.
The project was intended to tackle persistent post-harvest losses among watermelon farmers in Walewale and surrounding communities.
Established by Champion Foods and Beverages Limited and funded under the One District, One Factory (1D1F) initiative with support from Ghana EXIM Bank, the project was seen as a critical step towards agro-industrial transformation in the North East Region.
However, despite the fanfare that accompanied the commissioning, the facility has yet to begin production.
Once operational, the factory is expected to process up to 10 metric tonnes of fruit beverages per hour and provide direct employment for 300 people.
An additional 2,000 individuals—including farmers and aggregators under an out-grower scheme—are expected to benefit indirectly.
