e TecK’s line Minister, Senator the Honourable Paula Gopee-Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry visited e TecK’s Moruga Agro-Processing and Light Industrial Park (MALIP) recently. The Minister had the pleasure of touring iFarmTT, a tenant at MALIP specialising in agro-processing.
iFarmTT is a recipient of the Ministry’s Grant Fund Facility (GFF), utilising MALIP to further expand its operations in response to increasing market demand for its agricultural products, produced through indoor vertical farming.
The tour provided Minister Gopee-Scoon with detailed insight into the new machinery and equipment acquired through the GFF grant for the production of vegetables, salad mixes and mushrooms. The four-year-old agri-tech firm, which leased one of the factory shells at the park in April 2023, utilises Vertical Farming and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA). The technique eliminates the need for traditional approaches such as razing or clearing forested areas, and other natural habitats for agricultural development and focuses on the cultivation of fresh produce year-round. The company produces several leafy green products for local retail stores, home delivery and restaurants.
The country’s first Agro-Processing Park, the Moruga Agro-Processing and Light Industrial Park, which opened in 2020, continues to benefit surrounding communities through the creation of employment and opportunities for business growth. The other park tenants, which are in various stages of operations, include food-processing companies Woodsman Caribbean Limited, Caribbean Specialty Foods, Trinidad Chocolate Factory and Royal Dates.
The Park’s infrastructure includes an established road network, all necessary utilities (telecommunications, electrical and water supply, drainage, sewerage and a waste treatment facility), factory shells outfitted with offices and washrooms, and cold storage spaces where needed.
With reporting by Guardian Media Limited
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- Senator the Hon. Scoon, Minister of Trade and Industry with a director of iFarm Ltd.
