Korean International Cooperation Agency, on behalf of the South Korean government under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has pledged $2.2 million to build a seafood processing plant in Dagupan City, in the Pangasinan province in the Philippines. The money is part of $10 million granted by the agency this year for various projects in developing countries related to education, rural development, environment, technology and communication.
The plant's development is under the leadership of the Dagupan city government as well as Department of Agriculture and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
Malcolm Sarmiento Jr., executive director of the bureau, pointed out that the processing plant would comply with various international standards, including HACCP, in order to continue supplying milkfish, shrimp and oysters to major markets, including the United States, Japan and the European Union.
Sarmiento also mentioned that Department of Agriculture and the bureau's main task in the project is to guarantee adequate supply of material for processing, besides maintaining output quality.
