The Minister of Agro-Industry, Maneesh Gobin, launched the Mapou Agro-Processing Unit on Saturday. This was an opportunity for him to call on agricultural producers to come together so that the Food Agriculture and Research Extension Institute (FAREI) can provide training courses through the methods used for processing fresh produce to reach new markets.
Value of the day, explained the minister, FAREI cannot provide training courses because producers are not grouped. He invites them to regroup. The Minister explained that the government has the necessary expertise as well as funding for processing projects. To this end, he stressed that the feasibility study of the government for the processing of fresh produce has already been approved by the African Development Bank. This institution, he said, is of the opinion that processing is the backbone of food security.
Speaking about the Agro Processing Unit in Mapou, he said that this unit is in fact a place where producers can learn about the different techniques for processing fresh produce. Minister Gobin observed that the setting up of an Agro-Processing Unit in Mapou is in line with Government’s policy to boost up agro-entrepreneurship and to reduce the dependency on imported processed products. He stressed that the necessary expertise and financing is available to implement such units at national level.
Speaking of the Agro Processing Unit in Mapou, he had to say that this unit is actually a place where producers can inquire about the different techniques for processing fresh produce.
