Foumbot: farmers hopeful for rebirth of tomato transformation factory
Feasibility studies have been ongoing since September 2022 at the Scan-a tomato transformation and conservation factory abandoned since 2000.
The transformation and conservation factory was built in 1990, it went operational in 1994 with a 320 ton production daily. Six years after, Scan, closed doors due to poor management and low production.
Situated in Foumban, an epicenter of tomato cultivation in Cameroon, the industry bottled tomatoes in a 70g aluminium container which sold for F CFA 100. 22 years after, these same cans – not made in Cameroon this time – are sold between F CFA 150- F CFA 250. Brands like Neima, Calypso, Broli are all produced out of Cameroon but packaged and distributed in Cameroon hence a hike in prices of canned tomatoes and causing local farmers losses worth billions of F CFA as they do not have adequate means to conserve their fruits after harvest.
While waiting for the rebirth of Scan in the Noun division of the West region, studies are ongoing for the construction of a livestock and agricultural product transformation company in Djagalaï in Maroua I district in the Far North region by a group of farmers.
