Philippines: Mango processing plant gets P4 million grant

Cebu-based Southern Partners and Fair Trade Center, Inc. (SPFTC) has signed a grant contract with the Japanese Government to upgrade its mango processing facilities and provide new equipment in its Naga City, Cebu plant.

SPFTC Managing Director Geraldine M. Labradores and Ambassador Makoto Katsura signed the agreement Wednesday at the Japanese embassy in Manila.

The project, valued at $93,910 (about R4.3 million), will be funded through Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP).

Philippine annual revenues from the mango industry amount to some $1,400 million. Yet, small mango farmers who are directly involved in mango production, have not fully benefited from such industry proceeds.

The SPFTC has built the fruit processing plant in Naga City to serve as a direct link between producers and consumers and is advancing fair trade practice by purchasing farm products at fair prices.

Its activities have contributed to an increase in income by small farmers. However, due to the capacity limitation of the equipment they own, only limited amounts of fruit can be processed per day.

Source: mb.com.ph