Two districts were provided yesterday with machinery and equipment intended for the establishment of new industrial units in their respective localities.
The districts of Vatomandry and Brickaville, both in the Atsinanana region, were yesterday the new beneficiaries of the new industrial units handed over and offered by the Ministry of Industrialization, Trade and Consumption (MICC), within the framework of the continuation of its program for the promotion of the industrialization of the country. A program that is part of the ODOF project (One district, one factory or one district, one factory) in accordance with the commitments of the President of the Republic. It is thus a unit or a cold room for the district of Vatomandry, intended for the production of edible ice but also for the conservation of fish products which abound in the waters (sea, river and fresh water) which surround this district. It is also the first of its kind in this locality. Its implementation was agreed and decided in concert with the President himself, indicated Minister Edgard Razafindravahy who came yesterday to hand over the machines and materials necessary for the opening of the unit, in the presence of the population, elected officials (mayors) of the district, heads of fokontany, notables, fishermen and local entrepreneurs.
The Minister also clarified: “This machine can make up to 3 tons of ice per day”. Vita Germain, President of the Association of Fishermen, on behalf of the fishermen of the district of Vatomandry, welcomed the acquisition of this unit, stressing that the establishment of it will solve the problems of the many fishermen of the region which have suffered a lot of difficulties for the conservation of fish until now. Without forgetting also to address his thanks to the President of the Republic. For the deputy elected in Vatomandry, Raulan Razafinandrasana, the ice produced by this industrial unit in Vatomandry is not only intended for fish, but also benefits the butchers of the bazaar where they can store the unexhausted meat. Similarly, grocers who do not have refrigerators, yogurt makers will be able to buy ice cream. Edgard Razafindravahy confirmed this when he said that the President’s directive is to always reach out to the people. The creation of industrial incubator areas for the implementation of the 7th “Velirano”, which is the promotion of industry at the local level, is no different from this.
Call for projects
Edgard Razafindravahy took advantage of complaints from farmers and elected officials about the difficulty of processing documents for exporting cinnamon abroad to set up the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCI), noting in passing that the law regulating cooperative societies was recently adopted by Parliament. The CCI can negotiate worldwide in the search for outlets. “It’s the distribution of the economic cuts that we should be doing. Cooperatives, whether involved in the production of cinnamon or other products, will be able to directly export their products overseas when they become a cooperative society,” he said. Yesterday, the Minister, like what was done in the other districts, publicly launched the Call for projects to entrepreneurs interested in managing the ice cream industry in Vatomandry. After Vatomandry, the MICC delegation continued to Brickaville where it also delivered machinery and equipment for a unit for processing and transforming bananas and potatoes into crisps. 160,000 tons of bananas are produced in the Brickaville district, which are often damaged. He also owns 40,000 tons of sweet potatoes. Edgard Razafindravahy specified that the establishment of this unit will contribute to the preservation of products so that they are not damaged or spoiled, and at the same time to transform them into chips or crisps.