TÂY NINH — Long An Province-based Lavifood Joint Stock Company on January 6 put into operation a fruit and vegetable processing plant in Tây Ninh Province’s Gò Dầu District.

The opening ceremony of Tanifood plant saw the participation of Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Nguyễn Xuân Cường, many other Government and provincial leaders, and local and foreign business executives.

The 15ha plant on National Highway 22B in Thạnh Đức Commune cost VNĐ1.78 trillion (US$76.7 million).

It is the first factory in Việt Nam with a Leed Silver certificate and one of the five most modern fruit and vegetable processing plants in the Asia-Pacific region, the company said.

Phạm Ngô Quốc Thắng, chairman of Lavifood JSC, said: “In order to come up with processed products of international standards, the factory has boldly invested in modern technology and machinery from countries such as the US, Germany, Italy, and Japan.”

The plant will produce frozen fruits, juices, dried fruits, soft-dried fruits, and fruit juice concentrates for export to the US, EU, South Korea, Japan, and Australia.

With a capacity of 60,000 tonnes of finished products a year, the plant will process all kinds of fruits and vegetables.

The plant targets daily consumption of 500 tonnes of fruits like mango, passion fruit, pineapple, and dragon fruit. Lavifood has tied up with farmers and co-operatives in Tây Ninh Province who will grow fruits and vegetables based on its needs.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hòa Bình hailed Lavifood’s investment in such a factory, saying: “The opening of the factory is the pride of Việt Nam agriculture since this is the first time the agricultural sector has a factory that has the world’s leading modern technology.”

This would help improve farmers’ incomes and strengthen links between stakeholders in the value chain, he said.

Established in 2014, Lavifood processes and exports fruits and vegetables to the US, France, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Algeria, and other countries.
The plant is its first in Tây Ninh. — VNS