Las Limas S.A. to invest US$15 million in hydroponic project

Sept. 28, 2011 - PRLog -- Ball Horticultural, a U.S. company and one of the leaders in ornamental plants cuttings and seed production in the world, recently announced it will develop a hydroponic project in Nicaragua through its subsidiary company Las Limas, S.A., investing US$15 million. This company, which will become the first major floriculture project with the latest technology in the country, will create approximately 900 jobs, of which nearly 80 percent will be women.

“The corporation analyzed various countries before deciding to invest in Nicaragua, and some factors that came to our attention and encouraged our decision to invest in this country were its investment climate, legal securities, weather of Estelí, citizen safety and the high productivity of the Nicaraguan labor force”, commented Roberto Lara, Special Projects Manager of Ball Horticultural.

Las Limas, S.A., located in Estelí, will have a total area of 97.4 acres, with a construction of 164,000 square meters in greenhouses (roughly 40 acres) with the latest technology in design. Its installation will also include offices, a packaging area, cold rooms, water storage tanks, laboratories, a parking area and a water re-utilization system.

“We are pleased to announce the investment of Ball Horticultural in the country, a company of international prestige that will significantly contribute to the diversification of the agribusiness sector of Nicaragua. This is a company that does not only have a gender equality focus, but will also implement advanced technology in modern nurseries and responsible production practices”, commented the Presidential Delegate for Investments, General Alvaro Baltodano.

Additionally, it will produce plant cuttings in its first phase and once concluded with construction will also produce seeds, both under the hydroponic system, a method used to cultivate plants with mineral solutions instead of agricultural soil. Various methods for the cultivation of the plant cuttings are being analyzed, among them the use of volcanic gravel.

Currently, the company produces seeds and seedlings for worldwide distribution through its farms in Costa Rica, Guatemala, Chile, United States, Portugal and China.

Ball Horticultural, founded in 1905, has its headquarters in Chicago, Illinois. It is currently operating in over 20 countries through its subsidiaries and joint businesses, including Ball FloraPlant and PanAmerican Seed Company. It works as a breeder, producer and wholesale distributor of ornamental plants. The company, along with its subsidiaries, offers plants, seeds and seedlings to farmers, retailers, landscapers, and nursery operators. Some of its wholesale customers include chains such as Home Depot and Wal-Mart.

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PRONicaragua is the Nicaraguan Investment Promotion Agency, established in 2002. It is a non-profit, public-private institution whose mission is to generate economic growth and job creation in Nicaragua by attracting high-quality foreign direct investment. The agency provides complimentary support services to qualified investors seeking investment opportunities in our country.