Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Plan for mangosteen processing plant - The Star

Jun 11, 2008

MANGOSTEEN, referred as the Queen of Fruits, has gained the attention of international and local investors. Its trees are found in abundance in Perak.

State Industry Development and Information Committee chairman Tai Sing Ng said investors were keen to open a plant to process the fruit for local and global consumption.

Villager Hussiain Ariffin showing two ripe mangosteens in Simpang.

“Its edible flesh can be canned but its deep reddish purple skin, which was normally discarded, can be processed into tonic drink,” said Tai at a gathering in Simpang to welcome Perak Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Mohammad Nizar Jamaluddin, on his one day visit to Taiping recently.

Tai said the mangosteen processing plant would help create more jobs for the people and offer better income to villagers who owned such trees.

Speaking to reporters, Tai said the proposed mangosteen processing plant would likely be built at Trong, about 25km from Taiping.

He said they have received several proposals on setting up the plants but nothing firm was established yet.

Queen of fruits: A boy gazing at a bunch of mangosteens at a roadside stall in Bendang Siam, Taiping.

At the gathering, Mohammad Nizar said the state would welcome more investments, especially those related to high-tech industries.

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