Sorting facility for apples to open in Bcharre

Cedrine, a company which sorts, packs, and markets apples will open this month in Beit Monzer, Bcharre.

The total built-up area of the sorting facility, including cold storage warehouse, is around 2,500 square meters (m2).

Tony Keyrouz, a major shareholder, has invested $1.5 million in the project. USAID funded around 70 percent of the machines’ cost.

The project will create around 50 jobs.

The facility has the capacity to sort seven tons of apples per hour. “We will start sorting and packing between 2,000 and 4,000 tons as a start, which will be purchased from Bcharre farmers,” said Keyrouz.

A dedicated team from Cedrine in January will begin visiting farmers’ fields to provide guidance about the ideal ways to grow apples. “The project will help produce apples free from chemical residues, and up to international standards in quality and packaging,” Keyrouz said.

“When the quality of apples improves, prices will go up,” he said. “Each box of apples is sold at $8 currently, but if quality improves the price would reach $15.”

Cedrine started negotiating to export the apple crops to the Gulf countries.