GOLDEN GREEN

Moringa/Malunggay/Horsedish/Drumstick whose scientific name is m.oleifera is called the "miracle tree"" because the plant can provide as a food supplement for fortification,energy drinks, specialty creams (cosmetics, shampoos, etc.) and oil and especially in the current oil crisis, can be blended with diesel to form as "biofuel". The leaves can be used as food abovementioned and oil can be extracted from the seeds as vegetable oil or as biofuel feedstock.
According to publsihed Report "Moringa Oil" (Jesus Benavides, et. al., 01.17.2008) the demand in the United States and European Union could only be filled by 3.8% and 7.3%, respectively, and there is a growing demand for biofuel production from 12B liters to 37B liters by 2010.
With the many and numerous benefits that can be derived from the moringa tree, the "Miracle Tree" and the existing and ready market and potential, there is no doubt that a large scale moringa plantation will prove to be economically profitable.
R.V. Mijares Enterprises will use the practices of pineapple giant, DOLE, Philipines and some of the big banana plantations in southern Philippines, particularly, Davao, as model wherein large tracts of land were acquired and bought by these Companies for the purposes of their plantations and later went into contract-growing to help expand their production capacities to meet the growing demand for their products.
After one year and 4-6 months of operation, the Company will already be harvesting the leaves and seeds from the plantation. The leaves will be processed into foods and herbal medicines or sold to existing companies who are already processing them, while the seeds will be processed either as oil, cooking oil or as substitute for diesel fuel - as biofuel.
From the sale of these products, we shall have generated income that will be used for our operation and future expansion of our plantation, as our intention is not only limited to the projected 2,000 hectares of land to be planted with moringa trees but will be targeting the adjacent and neighboring idle lands which will be utitlized for the expansion of the Project.

PRODUCTS/SERVICE
The leave of Moringa are found to contain Vitamin A, B, E, calcium, protein, iron, potassium and even copper and all the essential sulfur containing amino acids methionine and cystine, often the natural minerals humans lacks. "Due to lit's high Vitamin A, B and E., which is potent antioxidents, it is s very good quencher for unstable free radicals that can react with the damage molecules that cause aging. They also prevent the onset of various chronic diseases like arthritis, cancer and heart and kidney diseases". (Dr, Lydia Marere, FNRI). The huge amount of micronutrients in malunggay leaves is used to fortify soups and sauces, breads, biscuits, burgers hotdogs and instant noodles. There are several types of malunggay tea and juices. Malunggay leaves are used as heerbal supplements that come in capsules and increases sperm count and motility in adult males who are it (Source: malunggayherbaltea.multiply.com/).
As biofuel feedstock, malunggay seeds can produce up to 40 percent oil. This means that a kilo of seeds from the malunggay pods would yield 400 mililiters of oil, which can be sed either for cooking or as substitute for diesel. From a hectare of land planted to malunggay, about 20,000 kilos of seeds could be collected. This translate to some 8,000 liters of oil worth some US$5,000.00 if processed accordingly. With the prices of fuel skyrocketing to a record high of about US$140,00 per barrel, massive cultivation/propagation of moringa and processing the seeds for oil, may not be the answer to the problem, but certainly, it will give a respite to the existing crisis. (Source: biotechforlife.com.ph/malunggay_biocommerce).
As food and herbal supplements, there are millions who are interested not only for the local market (Philippines) but also wordwide because of it's nutritional values which are needed for the human body - from childhood to adulthood.
As alternative for diesel fuel, there can be no question as to the market demand for the "oil crisis" has created for us a ready market for our product. Clients from the United States are reportedly demanding that 200,000 hectares or more be planted with moringa trees to meet the growing demands and requirements for the oil.

THE PROJECT;

The Project envisions the development of the island of Buad (Zumarraga, Samar, Phils.) into an agro-industrial estate which encompasses the involvement of the local community and stakeholders. After developing the minimum desired hectarage of more than 2,000 hectares viable for the establishment of a processing/manufacturing plant, R.V. Mijares Enterprises shall look for ex/importers interested by buy raw/processed leaves and seeds for processing into moringa based products (i.e. food, medicines and biofuels).
Presently, there are no other agribusiness company engaged in Moringa plantation is Zumarraga or in the Province of Samar. Non-governmental organizations like the Philippine Business for Social Progress in the mainland at Catbalogan City encourages the planting of moringa trees and the Department of Environment & Natural Resources and Agriculture and Health because of their nutritional values and benefits. The need to establish an agro-industry based business in this particular place is potenially viable considering it's ideal terrain, areas availability, slopes, temperature and the type of eather and vegetation.
Having no major key players in the Municipality of Zumarraga, in particular, and the whole Province of Samar, in general, and being the first to establish a Moringa plantation, R.V. Mijares Enterprises and the farmer"s cooperative, which will be formed later, we shall have the monopoly of supply and the volume for the processing of the raw materials will make the whole endeavor competitive.

DEVELOPMENT IMPACT

At the start of our moringa plantation, we intend to purchase and develop immediately the 30 or more hectares of cogonal and idle tract of land which is adjacent to our G-melina plantation which is offered to us for US$55,600.00. After we shall have developed, cultivated and planted the entire areas we purchased - which may take us about 3-4 months, we shall start cutting our G-melina trees and saw them into lumber to help augment our financial needs and the spaces/places left open or vacant will be planted with moringa seedlings.
After 2-3 years after we have started our moringa plantation, we aim to cultivate as much as 5OO hectares of land we shall gave purchased and at the same time expanded the plantation by entering into contract-growing from the members of the Moringa Growers' Cooperative, the land reforms beneficiaries we will help to form them into a cooperative.
In the interim of the 10 years spin-offs, we shall have achieve a total land area of about 5,000 hectares should our planned "contract-growing scheme" with DAR beneficiaries prove successful.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL IMPACT

During the 1st year of our operation, we intend to hire an additional of 20 employess in addition to our existing force of 2 presenting working in our G-melina plantation. All of these individuals are presently unemployed and earn or whose income are way below the existing minimun wage - earning about Php50.00 to 100.00 per day. These numbeer of employees maybe doubled during the 2nd year and 3rd year of operation.
After the lst year of operation, aside from the usual employment spin-offs., e.g. suppliers, buyers, distributors, sales, which are or maybe existing, we will generate "indirect" employment if terms of hundreds of leaves and seeds gatherers, construction workerers, etc.
Aside from the "direct" knowledge on the procedure of establish a moringa farm to our employees and workers - the "indirect" beneficiaries to our establishing this Business Proposal will be the childredn of our workers and employees who will not be able to send their sons, daughters and relatives to schools becuase of the financial and economic upliftment they must have gained from their income from the moringa farms/plantation.
The establishment of the moringa plantation will not only create a "healthier" environment but will also address the eco-system and climate changes presently being advo cated by nations throughout world.
The quality of the living stards not only of our workers and employees shall have increased tremendously, but the whole Community -- the LGU in terms of the taxes and income they shall have derived and the access to food, health, housing are made possible because of the upliftment of their economic conditions.