Omanghana
President John Dramani Mahama has expressed confidence that Bechem will become Ghana’s “chicken capital” when the town’s Poultry, Meat and Feed Processing Plant begins operations.
He made the remarks on October 9, 2026, while inspecting construction work at the facility in the Tano South Municipality during the first day of his two-day “Resetting Ghana Tour” of the Ahafo Region.
The project, for which the President broke ground on November 27, 2025, is reported to be between 50 and 58 per cent complete. It is expected to be commissioned by the end of the first quarter of 2027.
Contractors indicated that all payment certificates submitted for work undertaken had been settled, supporting progress towards the completion target.
Designed to process 6,000 birds per hour, the plant will operate separate production lines for broilers and layers. It will also include a hatchery, a poultry feed mill and cold storage facilities to support production, processing and distribution.
The facility is a key component of the government’s Nkoko Nketenkete and Feed Ghana programs, which seek to expand domestic poultry production and reduce dependence on imports.
To sustain round-the-clock operations, the plant is expected to secure birds through off-take agreements with poultry farmers in regions including Ashanti, Bono and Upper East. These arrangements are intended to provide participating farmers with a reliable market while maintaining a steady supply for processing.
Mahama encouraged young Ghanaians to consider commercial poultry farming, saying the factory would create opportunities for producers to supply birds to an established buyer.
Minister of Food and Agriculture Eric Opoku said expanded processing capacity was essential to supporting growth in the poultry sector and addressing the current surplus in local egg production.
According to figures presented during the visit, the share of Ghana’s poultry needs met through domestic production has increased from 4.6 per cent to 22 per cent. Opoku outlined the government’s ambition to achieve full self-sufficiency in chicken production within the next three years.
The Bechem plant is expected to play a central role in that effort by connecting poultry farmers to processing, storage and distribution facilities.
Source: Omanghana
