MULTAN, Dec 16: An Italian firm will help establish mango and orange processing plants in Multan.

The City District Government Multan, the Mango Cooperative Society of Multan and the Green Power Business International Development have agreed to sign a memorandum of understanding on Monday (tomorrow).

A meeting held here was presided over by City District Nazim Mian Faisal Mukhtar while Green Power Company chief executive Ettore Marzocchi, SIRA company representative Marco Liguori, Mango Cooperative Society Limited representatives Syed Zahid Hussain Gardezi and Khizar Abbas Bukhari were also present.

The city district nazim said the Green Power Company would present its feasibility report on saving the mango waste crop, rise in mango export, and increase in income after making several products with mangoes.

He said the company would prepare a list of various products made from the mango and would estimate the cost of plant which would also be used for the orange processing. The district government, he said, would import the plant from Italy for making several dairy products from the milk.

Mr Mukhtar asked the farmers to establish the Citizen Community Board for establishing mango and orange processing plants and dairy plants while the district government would provide 80 per cent funds for the purpose.

He said that the plant was handy enough to be moved in a trailer from one place to other.

Mango Growers Association president Syed Zahid Hussain Gardezi said that mango growers had already registered their organisation with the name of `Mango Cooperative Society’ and the Italian company would help install the plant. It would also provide technical services that would help prepare business plans for the global market.

Green Power Company chief executive Ettore Marzocchi said the company would prepare its feasibility report within a month.

He said pulp, jam, pickle, candy, dry mango and other products would be produced besides, packing and preserving of mangoes.