Fruit and vegetable processing factory Frudo, owned by Red Commerce, was opened today in Tuzi. As announced at the opening, the factory will produce juices and jams.
The company’s emphasis will be on good quality products, said director Emina Musović. As she stated, by processing fruits and vegetables, she will offer the market products that will be the pride of Montenegro.
– We will produce juices without sugar, and jams are also planned, also without sugar – said Musović.
The resources available to Montenegro are immeasurable, and the company Red Commerce will continue its sustainable development, said company owner Edo Musović.
– Our priorities will be the processing of fruits and vegetables from Montenegro, and we also plan to open a plant for packing and storing products – announced Musović.
The most beautiful thing that can happen is to create new value, and the Mušović family shows day by day that this new value lies somewhere very close to us, and that we were not aware of how to use it, Prime Minister Dritan Abazović said.
– Producing is not only a matter of the employment of those people who work in the factory, but of many businesses that will be compatible and be part of the production chain – said the prime minister, pointing to around 500 local subcontractors with whom the factory will cooperate.
He said that producing healthy food, in this case natural juices, is compatible with the requirements of the modern market, but also with the aim of branding Montenegro as a green destination.
– Producing does not only mean helping agriculture, but also helping tourism. I am sure that the products of the Frudo factory will end up both on our coast and in the north, and that numerous visitors to Montenegro will have the opportunity to enjoy local products. What you did today and what happened two months ago shows that we are on the right track to finally work on creating new value. The new value will mean more jobs, more taxes, more contributions, fewer departures from these areas and will open the perspective of truly building a European state – said Abazović.
The President of the Municipality of Tuzi, Nik Đeljošaj, said that the opening of this factory also means new jobs.
– After the chips factory, another factory opens. Governments and politicians leave, but factories and workplaces remain – said Đeljošaj.
According to him, conditions should be created to continue the opening of factories, as well as the integration of agriculture, so that farmers can have a successful and safe marketing of their products. He announced that an oil production factory will be opened soon.
As announced by the Government, the surface of the factory will be 2,500 m2 with facilities for placing and receiving goods and cold stores. For the construction of the factory, the company received grants from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (IPARD) in the amount of over 630,000 EUR. The total investment amounts to EUR 2.5 million.
About 65 workers are planned to be employed in the new factory. All fruits and vegetables are purchased from local fruit and vegetable producers, i.e. subcontractors, of which there are currently over 500.
In the first phase, the Frudo factory will produce jams, marmalades and fruit salads as well as dried fruit. It is also planned to produce oil from pomegranate seeds and other fruit trees. In the coming period, it is planned to open a plant for packing and purchasing fruit and vegetables, and to employ an additional number of people. The company will also deal with drying fruits and vegetables, and the processing capacity will be 5,000 tons.