CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – A Japanese agricultural company engage in manufacturing of mulberry tea leaf will soon cultivate huge land area in Magalang town for its tea farm and processing plant to be situated within the Pampanga Agricultural State University (PSAU).
This after PSAU and Kuwanosato, Inc. from Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan forged a partnership agreement for the establishment of mulberry fields and tea processing plant as part of the provincial government program to develop and improve agricultural lands in the province.
Kuwanosato, Inc. is among the largest tea producing company in Japan. Its products are being exported all over the globe.
Late last year, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) sponsored PSAU officials for official travel to Japan where delegates participated in the “Knowledge Co-Creation Program under Feasibility Study with the Private Sector for Utilizing Japanese Technologies under the Official Development Assistance (ODA) Project.
PSAU delegates are President Honorio M. Soriano, Jr., Dr. Norman G. De Jesus (Professor & Director of Alternative Low-Input Agricultural System Center), Dr. Ernesto D. Supan (Professor & Manager, PSAU-TVET Center), and Dr. Rogelio D. Cosio (Professor & Director, Planning & Development).
Soriano’s group toured various tea farms and processing plants in Japan for a familiarization accompanied by JICA survey (Mulberry Tea Project in the Philippines), Han Seong Min who is also the President of Kuwanosato Inc.
“The Japanese government will provide technical and financial support for the establishment of a Mulberry Leaf Tea Processing Facility within the premises of PSAU,” said Soriano in an article posted in PSAU official website.
This project, Soriano said would bring advantages and benefits for Filipino farmers, particularly those from the province of Pampanga. It would definitely help improve farm productivity and profitability as there would be an assured market for the harvests of farmers who would be growing mulberry.
On Monday, Kuwanosato, Inc. delegates and PSAU officials visited the office of Governor Lilia Pineda where they formalized the agreement signalling the start of mulberry tea cultivation project in PSAU farming areas.