Food Plant is Inaugurated
La Prensa Gráfica
July 30, 2003
Mauricio Bolaños
Translation by PADF
Project Financed by Salvadorans in Virginia.
San Pedro Masahuat, La Paz. With the help of the Comité Cívico Salvadoreño Americano de Virginia, the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF), and CONFRAS (Confederation of Federations of the Salvadoran Agrarian Reform), a processing plant for fruit and vegetable products was inaugurated yesterday.
The plant is located in the 51st kilometer of the canton Los Novillos in San Pedro Masahuat, in a 12 block plot of land which will also be used to grow some of the products that will be processed such as papaya, maracuyá, oranges, loroco, zucchini, coconut, pineapple, and chili, among others.
In the plant, they will be making jelly and relish which will later be sold in the national market.
The project, called Strengthening Diversified Production and Agro Industrialization, with little production, plans to multiply at a national and international scale.
Great Nutritional Value
The product made in the plant has a high nutritional value, since only organic techniques are used to improve the quality of the products.
The project will cost $175,000, of which 25% will be contributed by Salvadoran immigrants, by purchasing machinery, land, and other resources.
Elmer Arias, president of the Salvadoran Civic Committee, declared that what motivated them to provide financial support to the project was that they will be able to export the products so that Salvadorans in the United States will purchase them.
In addition, it will create jobs, making the area’s fruit production important.
According to Dale A. Crowell, from PADF, the fruits and vegetables produced have great demand in the United States community.
“We will make this project big with the dynamism of all those involved,’ said Hector Salazar from CONFRAS.