NAFANUA PURE MULTI-PURPOSE FACTORY A REALITY
By: Joshua Lafoa’i
Local farmers and livestock owners will soon have a factory to process their raw products as added value for the local and overseas market.
The brainchild responsible for realizing the Nafanua Pure Multi-Purpose Factory which ground break yesterday morning at Nafanua is the Scientific Research Organization of Samoa, (SROS).
In his launching speech, Prime Minister himself, Tuilaepa Dr. Sailele Malielegaoi acknowledged the contributions by the Agricultural Sector that include farmers and their colleagues in the livestock and fishing industries.
And with the same token, he reassured that the factory is to preserve Samoa’s tradition for her people to “live off the land.”
“The multipurpose factory would house the production of various locally made goods, from flour to soft drinks, to hygienic products like hand sanitizers made from the taro, and even our very own Samoan Whiskey,” said Seuseu Dr. Joseph Edward Tauati, the Chief Executive Officer of SROS.
The funds will cover the factory construction as well as imported equipment and machineries needed.
“All needed parts for the factory will be imported from various countries including Germany, Australia, New Zealand and even the United States,” added Seuseu.
When asked how the factory initiative came about, Seuseu attributed the push by farmers and partners of SROS.
“The idea is wholly from the farmers. They came to us and requested that we provide an avenue to push their produce beyond existing markets,” he added.
SROS would be the operating power behind the factory.
SROS will buy produce from farmers and the rest will be up to Seuseu’s team.
“Once this is up and running, we buy the produce from farmers and then we create the products from these in the factory and then we sell them overseas for added revenue,” he added.
While the push is for local farmer to be the main supplier for SROS, they are encouraged to register first with SROS though, in order to be a produce provider.
The factory is funded by the Government of Samoa financed by a $2.5m tala allocation from the Government’s COVID19 Stimulus Package approved by Parliament.
