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Monday, June 1, 2026

BOPP invests GH¢107m in outgrower oil palm project

Benso Oil Palm Plantation PLC (BOPP) has invested GH¢107 million in the development of a 3,030-hectare smallholder and outgrower oil palm project.

Out of the total land size, 1,630 hectares have matured, while the remaining 1,400 hectares are expected to reach maturity by the end of 2026.

In addition, the Outgrower Value Chain Fund, a development agency, has approved funding for outgrower projects that will benefit 2,000 smallholder farmers over a three-year period, with BOPP serving as the technical partner.

The Board Chairman of BOPP, Dr Alfred Mahamadu Braimah, disclosed this in the company’s 2025 Annual Report and Financial Statements presented at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held in Takoradi on Friday.

He said the company maintained its position among the top 10 best-performing companies on the Ghana Stock Exchange and also retained its Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) certification, reaffirming its reputation for best management practices in Ghana and across Africa.

Dr Braimah noted that despite both domestic and global economic challenges in 2025, the company recorded strong financial performance, with revenue growing by six per cent year-on-year.

This, he explained, was driven by improved trading prices of palm oil and palm kernel oil.

However, profit after tax declined by 10 per cent, falling from GH¢92.983 million in 2024 to GH¢84.224 million in 2025.

He attributed the decline to rising industry costs, including higher prices for outgrower fresh fruit bunches (FFB), as well as increases in processing, labour, engineering, factory spares, and manufacturing overheads, which went up by 12 per cent over the 2024 figure.

Dr Braimah explained that the company’s steady performance reflected its focus on cost efficiency, sound policies, and effective risk management systems.

He said BOPP processed 121,787 metric tonnes of fresh fruit bunches in 2025 and injected GH¢72 million into communities in the Western and Central Regions through the purchase of 33,343 metric tonnes of FFB from smallholders and outgrower farmers.

The Board Chairman also highlighted the company’s strong performance in regulatory compliance and incident prevention, with continued emphasis on environmental sustainability, health, and safety.

As part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives, BOPP invested GH¢720,000 in 2025, down from GH¢1.6 million in 2024, to support scholarships, road improvement projects, a CHPS compound, and the construction of a three-unit, two-bedroom nurses’ quarters, among other interventions.

Dr Braimah commended the government for efforts to curb the influx of illegal and grey imports through policy measures, stating, “We are aware of route changes towards the Upper East, the Togo corridor and other illegal routes without the payment of relevant taxes.”

He said effective enforcement of the ban would make investment in palm oil production more attractive and contribute significantly to the national goal of increasing local production and reducing reliance on edible oil imports, currently estimated at about US$200 million annually.

Meanwhile, BOPP announced a final dividend of GH¢0.2420 per share, in addition to an interim dividend of GH¢1.0627 per share declared during the September year-to-date review.

CAPTION: Dr Braimah addressing the BOPP AGM. Inset: Board members and shareholders at the meeting.

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