Nicaragua's first frozen processing plant producing mango cubes and a range of other produce for export will go live later this month, website Elnuevodiario.com.ni reported.

Frozen Fruit S. A. will generate 60 direct jobs and has an initial investment of US$4 million.

The plant is near Managua in the northwestern state of León, with 1,000ha of which 400ha are dedicated to mango plantations and the remainder are for growing bananas, okra, edamame beans and sweet potatoes.

Investor Fernando Paiz, whose family operate 500 supermarkets in central America, said the plant's target was to sell 1,700 metric tons (MT) of frozen produce worth US$2.5 million to Puerto Rico, Florida and California.

He said that next year this target would rise to 3,500MT worth  US$7.2 million generating a total of 180 jobs benefiting the El Jicaral and San Francisco Libre communities, the story reported.

"We aren't just talking about cutters and packers, but also in refrigeration engineering and administrative staff, who operate throughout the year and will have benefits that are above the provisions of national labor laws," he was quoted as saying.

National investment agency ProNicaragua executive director Javier Chamorro, said it was important for the country to invest in new technology.

He described Frozen Fruit S.A.'s decision to open a plant in Nicaragua as a success story as it offered "high value" to the country and demonstrated the confidence investors have in Nicaragua.

Paiz, who is orginally from Guatemala, said he is investing in Nicaragua because of the country's climate.

"There are many hours of light that make plants grow, you have good irrigation, so we have a great opportunity to develop very well. In addition, the workforce is highly qualified," he said.

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Photo: Laprensa.com.ni

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