One of the highlights of this project is its direct impact on the local community. It is estimated that it will benefit 561 cocoa-producing families in the municipalities of Puerto Gonzalo Moreno and San Pedro, who will now have the opportunity to transform their raw material into higher value-added products. The plant will also generate approximately 220 direct and indirect jobs, boosting the regional economy and improving the quality of life of its inhabitants.
Víctor Vargas, director of the Fondo Nacional de Inversión Productiva y Social (FPS) in Pando, the entity in charge of executing the project, has emphasized the importance of this initiative to promote food sovereignty and the industrialization of local products. According to Vargas, the plant not only seeks to add value to cocoa, but also to improve community income and promote sustainable production practices.
The plant's sustainable approach is another of its key pillars. Waste generated during the transformation process, such as cocoa shells, will be reused to produce organic fertilizer, thus contributing to the reduction of environmental impact and promoting a circular economy.
The logistics for the start-up of the plant have been carefully planned. The industrial equipment, which is already on national territory, will be transported by river from Riberalta to Puerto Gonzalo Moreno. The first production tests are expected to be carried out in mid-March, marking the beginning of a new era for the cocoa industry in Pando.
Personnel training is an essential component to ensure the plant's success. Training programs have been implemented for both technical staff and producers, covering areas such as administrative, operational and logistical management. This initiative seeks to ensure that everyone involved has the necessary skills and knowledge to operate the plant efficiently and maximize product quality.
In addition to the main equipment, the plant will have support vehicles, such as a pickup truck and motorcycles, to optimize distribution and field monitoring. These tools will facilitate logistics and ensure an efficient supply chain from cocoa harvesting to final product distribution.
The region of Puerto Gonzalo Moreno is renowned for its abundance of native cocoa grown in sustainable agroforestry systems. The implementation of the processing plant represents an invaluable opportunity to capitalize on this natural resource, allowing local producers to access formal markets with high quality finished products. This transformation of raw material into processed products will increase the profitability of producers and position Pando as a benchmark in the cocoa industry.
The long-term vision for this project is ambitious. In addition to meeting domestic demand, the plant is expected to open the doors to the export of cocoa products, taking advantage of the growing global demand for high-quality chocolates and other derivatives. This will not only generate significant income for the region, but will also raise the prestige of Bolivian cacao in the international market.
