Chinese firm mulls ethanol plant in Philippines

China’s Wahaha Group Co. Ltd. is reportedly interested in investing about Php4 billion (US$) in an ethanol plant in the Philippines, according to Mariz Agbon, president of the Philippine Agribusiness Development and Commercial Corp. (PADCC). Agbon said that a Philippine delegation is expected to go to China in April to hopefully sign a memorandum of agreement with the Wahaha Group to formalize its joint agreement with Filipino AgriNurture Inc. (ANI) for the joint fruit juice processing and ethanol plant. According to Agbon, “once the agreements are signed, the projects would build momentum since Wahaha has the relevant technologies already.” The Wahaha Group, Agbon said, intends to build a bioethanol plant in Misamis Occidental in partnership with “a local family.” (March 16, 2010)