The Northern Star Tomato Company(NSTC) at Pwalugu, near Bolgatanga, is ready to start production, the consultant for the project, Charles Gunu, has said. He could, however, not say how soon. He made this announcement on Thursday when the Upper East Regional Minister, Mark Woyongo, paid a day's working visit to the factory. The five million-dollar rehabilitated factory would bring relief to tomato farmers who are con­fronted with problems of marketing their produce and confrontations with market queens who buy tomatoes from neighbouring Burkina Faso leaving the local farmers to their fate. Mr. Gunu, who conducted the Minister round the factory, said machines at the facility, including a boiler, an evaporator, a finisher, a washer, and a separator as well as a tomato processor, had been tested, certified and ready for production. He said GH¢2.8 million was required for the com­pany to purchase 23,000 empty tomato crates, to­matoes and transport the vegetable's from the vari­ous locations within the region to the factory. Briefing the Minister on supply of water to the company, the Regional Manager in charge of Dis­tribution at the Ghana Water Company (GWCL) in Bolgatanga, George Ayanoore, said there were problems in supplying water to the factory because the GWCL did not have the required water pumping machine to pump water to the factory. He, however, gave the assurance that in two weeks, the equipment would be in place. Mr. Richard Kansang, a private electrical con­tractor in charge of electrical works at the com­pany, said about 90 per cent of the work was com­pleted and that some few machines were needed to start full scale electrical powering of the factory. Source: The Ghanaian Times