Cavendish bananas

Affiliate group of the Unifrutti group, Al-Sahar Agri Ventures, has invested in a Php3.7bn (US$79m) cavandish banana plantation in the Philippines’ Maguindanao region.

The 2,600ha site has been approved by the Regional Board of Investments in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RBOI-ARMM), and is expected to create 3,900 local jobs.

“Our company is here in the ARMM to help uplift the lives of the people and help propel economic development in the region,” Ed Bullecer, director of Al-Sahar, said in a government release. “We consider the ARMM as the best agri-related investment destination in the country due to its fertile and vast lands, low cost of doing business and strong support from local leaders despite security issues.”