October 12/Oak Brook, Ill./Prepared Foods -– Paraguay Vende, the economic growth program of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the government of Paraguay have signed a cooperation and mutual investment agreement with global stevia firm, PureCircle, to promote the cultivation of stevia in the south of Paraguay.

The technical assistance of the Economic Service Center South Corridor of Paraguay Vende to the company PureCircle South America SA begins with a diagnosis and a business plan. It also focuses on assisting in the formation of production basins of Ka'a he'e (Stevia) in the Department of Itapua. To this end, the South Corridor seeks to contract and assume the costs of specialized advisers and consultants.

PureCircle Corporate VP of Supply Chain Dorn Wenninger said, “This is a very significant development for the Reb A and stevia industries. The decision by USAID and the government of Paraguay to select and invest with PureCircle, illustrates the enormous commercial opportunities and socioeconomic benefits that stevia cultivation is bringing to South America. This is a very proud and significant day for stevia in the region.”

From the October 12, 2009, Prepared Foods E-dition