IPOH, 22 AUGUST 2017 - HRH the Sultan of Perak Sultan Nazrin Muizzuddin Shah officially opened the fruit and vegetable Collection, Processing and Packaging Centre (CPPC) at Agroto, Kinta Highlands at KM19, Jalan Simpang Pulai-Cameron Highlands, near here today.

The Perak Sultan was accompanied by HRH Raja Permaisuri Perak Tuanku Zara Salim. Also present at the event were Perak Menteri Besar Dato’ Seri DiRaja Dr Zambry Abd Kadir and wife Datin Seri DiRaja Saripah Zulkifli as well as Agroto Chairman Dato’ Ahmad Shalimin Ahmad Shafie.

Their Royal Highnesses and other dignitaries toured the CPPC, the nursery, the grape-growing plot, the fertiliser pump house, the 'Green and Red Coral House' site and vegetable farms.

The CPPC is managed by Agroto Business (M) Sdn Bhd, a joint-venture company set up by the Perak state government through the Perak Agriculture Development Corporation with Bumper Orchard (M) Sdn Bhd.

Meanwhile, Ahmad Shalimin said the 60,000 sq ft CPPC, developed on a 1,052-hectare site at 1,500 metres above sea level, combined modern agriculture technology and traditional methods through the greenhouse and open farming concepts.

He said the CPPC was equipped with various facilities and modern technology to increase productivity in Agroto's operations, including the use of tomato grading machines to separate the produce according to size.

“The use of these grading machines would speed up the tomato grading time besides being more efficient and cutting down on workforce, thus ensuring cost effectiveness,” he said.

He added that with the centre, Agroto's operations were conducted under one roof, making the production process easier and faster before the vegetables were sent to the local or international markets.

He said the opening of the Agroto plantation has also provided jobs to the local community as most of the 361 employees are from Perak. According to Ahmad Shalimin, Agroto had obtained recognition and certification from the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) as well as for Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).