GENERAL SANTOS CITY, Nov 5 (Asia in Focus) - A Malaysian trade missionwill visit Sarangani province and neighboring areas later this month toopen up possible trade exchanges and explore investment opportunities inthe area.

Serafin Ramos Jr., Sarangani information officer, told PNA the Malaysiandelegation, to be composed of 10 to 15 government and business leadersfrom the state of Sabah, will visit leading fishery and agribusinesscompanies in the region from Nov. 18-22.

He said the trade mission will be led by the state of Sabah,s Minister ofIndustrial Development Datuk Ewon Ebin, who personally arranged the visitwith Sarangani Gov. Miguel Dominguez during the Sabah International Expoheld in Kota Kinabalu last September.

Ramos said the Malaysians will tour Sarangani,s popular capitol park andits newly-established Environmental Conservation and Protection Center inAlabel town.

He said they will then observe the operations of the fish processingplants, fishponds and fish cages of Alson,s Aqua Technologies Inc., theprovince's top exporter of various aquaculture products especially thepopular Sarangani Bay brand bangus.

Ramos said the mission will also visit this city,s fishing port complexand ice plant in barangay Tambler as well as the canning plant of fruitgiant Dole Philippines, the asparagus packing plant of Dole Tropifresh andthe mango processing plant of Tem Ngun Food Corp. in Polomolok, SouthCotabato.

He said the Malaysians will also get a taste of the area,s famous tourismdestinations such as the Isla Parilla Resort in Alabel and the TampuanPoint diving resort in in Tinutu, both in Sarangani.

Ramos said aside from the scheduled tours, the Malaysian delegation willalso hold business meetings with business chamber officials and executivesof major companies from the region.

Ramos said the provincial government of Sarangani is expecting the forgingof joint venture agreements between the Malaysian and local businessmenduring the trade visit.

"The Malaysians have initially signified interest to seek trade agreementson tuna canning, aquaculture, palm oil plantation and processing and fruitprocessing ventures," he said.

Dominguez earlier said several investors from Sabah are interested inestablishing a palm oil plantation in his province.

"Initially, we could easily offer 10,000 hectares of land in the towns ofMaitum and Kiamba," he said.

He also said Malaysian officials are also keen on forging fisheriescooperation with Sarangani and General Santos City, especially the openingof tuna canneries in Sabah.

Some cannery owners based in this city who have earlier established tunacanneries in North Sulawesi in Indonesia initially interest expressed toalso expand in Sabah, he noted.

(PNA)