MPIC’s Bulacan vegetable greenhouse set to open by Q4

THE agribusiness unit of Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) said it is eyeing to open its vegetable greenhouse facility in San Rafael town in Bulacan by the fourth quarter.

“Construction is still underway. We are still hell-bent in making it open, live for commercial operation, by fourth quarter this year,” Metro Pacific Agro Ventures, Inc. (MPAV) President and Chief Executive Officer Jovy I. Hernandez said on the sidelines of a media briefing in Pasig City last week.

Aside from the Bulacan facility, Mr. Hernandez said that MPAV is looking to establish at least 10 additional smaller greenhouses across the country.

“We might have to build 10 sites, at the very least, over a five year period,” he said.

“We’re looking at possibly establishing more sites, albeit a little bit smaller. It is a different model. It has a smaller footprint, one to 1.5 hectares, and would only serve a particular radius so that logistics cost will be cheaper,” he added.

Mr. Hernandez said the Bulacan greenhouse facility, called Metro Pacific Fresh Farms, could possibly address the vegetable demand of the Greater Manila Area, Bulacan, and Tarlac.

The company has earmarked P800 million to P1 billion for the greenhouse project, which is expected to produce about 1,600 metric tons of vegetables annually.

“It was intended to be seven hectares worth of greenhouses. That does not include the road network. The total property is about 22 hectares. We have the capability to double it to 40 hectares,” Mr. Hernandez said.

MPIC is one of three key Philippine units of First Pacific, the others being Philex Mining Corp. and PLDT Inc.

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