Reply #1: Venezuela Inaugurates New Food Production Plant for Food Sovereignty [View All]

[Joanne98]

Mérida, January 12, 2009 (venezuelanalysis.com)-- President Hugo Chávez, in his weekly Sunday TV show “Alo Presidente,” inaugurated the Agro-industrial complex “Vuelvan Caras” (About Face) in Portugesa state, which aims to be another step towards Venezuela’s food independence.

The agro-industrial complex, according to Chavez, is the first of its type, as it includes all stages of production, processing, and distribution. It has a pasta processing plant, an area for tractor assembly, a sun flower planting area, an agriculture supply shop, a fertilizer warehouse, and corn processing plant that produces material to make corn oil and concentrated food for animals and has a capacity of 46.8 tons daily.

Construction of the plant began in June 2007 and 300 people were employed during the construction, 90% of which were put forward by the local communal councils.

The pasta in the processing plant will be made of rice or corn, and the plant will produce 3 tons daily, making a product of 400 grams that will sell for 1.50 bolivars (US$ 0.70) and will be distributed through the subsidized state-run food distribution networks known as Mercal and Pdval. 9 million bolivars (US$ 4.2 million) have been invested in the pasta plant and 30 million bolivars (US$ 14 million) in the complex overall.

Portuguesa state, where the plant is located, is the main producer of corn and rice in the country, and this complex will produce 41% of the corn and 60% of the rice. Using resources from a China-Venezuela fund, the government will also establish a fish processing plant there.

According to Chavez, when his government arrived in office ten years ago, agricultural and livestock activity was almost non-existent, making the country very dependent on imports. However, he said that corn production has increased by 205% and rice by 94% over the last ten years.

Continued>>>
http://www.venezuelanalysis.com/news/4102