“Ground Breaking Ceremony – Skyline’s new factory” Tuesday 22nd October 2019 @ 11.30 am, Tanumalala
Reverend Rokeni Peresipi,
Honourable Ministers of Cabinet,
His Excellency Tapusalaia Terry Toómata, Ambassador of Samoa in the People’s Republic of China,
Mr Zheng Jian Rong, Director of the Guangdong Provincial Department of Commerce,
Distinguished representatives from the Guangdong Provincial Departments of Commerce and Agriculture,
Management of Skyline, Mr Bob Chen and Mr Allan Cai,
Members of the Business community, Ladies & Gentlemen.
It is indeed a great pleasure for me to say a few remarks about this special event, on the ground breaking ceremony of Skyline’s new factory which will significantly increase the volume of nonu juice exported every year.
I have been informed that Skyline exports an average of 4 to 5 twenty foot (20’) containers every month which is an impressive amount of nonu juice from Samoa to the global market and especially to the People’s Republic of China. Skyline has also revealed plans to increase their monthly shipment to 20 twenty foot (20’) containers to the overseas markets once this factory is open. And this is only one Samoa product. Others in the pipeline include the nonu powder, soursop tea and fetau oil, to name a few.
An exciting part of this project is an Exhibition Area where the crops will be grown in a Botanical Crop designed Garden which will showcase our cocoa, nonu and other tree crops. Total value of the Skyline investment is estimated at around $30 million Tala.
I am aware that the affiliated villages are now familiar with the Skyline operations, with fifty (50) agents around the country organizing the collection of the nonu fruits, for the production of the juice.
The new Skyline factory is expected to create more employment opportunities with two hundred (200) new employees in the factory, and an additional 100 new employees to work at the proposed farm that will plant the various crops of nonu, soursop, avocado, breadfruit and other food trees, to supply the factory with the fruits for processing purposes. It will be in addition to the Skyline Village Collection operation that ensures sufficient supplies.
Nonu juice is now a main foreign export exchange earner for Samoa after the fish industry. Exportation of nonu juice last year (2018) earned $10.15 million Tala.
The Nonu juice is now a much sought after health supplement which replenishes and modifies molecular structure of the aging human cell and inactive proteins regulating active enzymes. So the nonu compounds assist with anti-aging, inflammation, thyroid and sugar blood afflicted diseases.
The Health products grown in our organic and safe environment provide health benefits and are a great source of vitamin C, biotin, and folate. Noni juice is packed with antioxidants that provide numerous health benefits.
We have been using these organic health plants for many years and Skyline and other nonu juice exporters are important in providing them in the form that we can consume safely and easily. The new operation will have a large processing capacity and will enable the production of these wonderful products on our shores under their proposed plantation mode which is a beneficial arrangement for Samoa and for the Company and receiving Clients and Beneficiaries.
In closing, I thank the Management of Skyline for your vision to build this new factory which will significantly increase your nonu juice and other products’ production capacities, increase our exports, create employment and benefit our farmers, and I look forward to the grand opening of your new factory when completed.
God bless and Soifua!
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