The National Institute of Industrial Technology is giving technical assistance to agricultural cooperatives of San Rafael for the definition of the technological scheme of the project, the preparation of documentation and specifications of the machinery, and the control of the manufacture of the equipment for processing industrial pulps of plums, apricots, peaches, apples, pears, and tomatoes, among others.
To generate greater profitability and sustainability in the production of fruit and vegetable in the province, INTI participates in the project "San Rafael's Agro-industrial processing plant of concentrated aseptic fruit pulps and vegetables."
The project, which has just completed its first phase, will favour small producers of fruits and vegetables gathered in the La Linea and Fruderpa cooperatives in Mendoza, offering them the opportunity to industrialize their production.
The Plant's production capacity
The plant will process eight thousand kilograms of raw material per hour and it is expected to work 24/7, depending on the amount of fruit available in every season. "This production capacity will allow the plant to process, not only the fruits of the members of the cooperatives, but also much of the producers in the region," said the Deputy director of the INTI-Mendoza Centre, Edgar Cerchiai.
The manufacturing of more than twenty machines that make up the production line was executed entirely by metallurgical workshops in the province, and monitored, inspected and controlled by professionals of the INTI, who highlighted the excellence of its technical quality. The available line will run from receipt of fresh fruit to the obtaining 250 kg of concentrated pulp packed in metal drums with aseptic bags, a commodity that is currently marketed both in the national and international market.
The participation of the INTI in the initiative began in mid-2013 within the framework of the presentation of the technological solutions of the INTI in Mendoza. The project is the result of a joint effort between the cooperatives, the municipality of San Rafael, the Ministry of agro-industry and technology of Mendoza, and the Ministry of industry of the nation, that performs all technical assistance from the INTI. The Ministry of agriculture, livestock and fisheries of the nation granted the initial ten million pesos investment.
The following steps are the assembly, installation and commissioning of the plant, staff training and the design and execution of trials of derived food products.
Source: sitioandino.com