The builders of American Samoa's future food processing plant have held a ground-breaking ceremony and promised to generate 700 jobs.
The Filipino company, AVM Bernardo Engineering, first expressed interest in setting up a factory in the territory seven years ago.
The factory is being built at the Industrial Park in Tafuna near the Public Works compound.
The owner of the company, Anthony Bernardo, says it will be completed in a year's time, and will turn out American Samoan-made food and juice products for the US and other overseas markets.
Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga says it's a welcome development at a time when the tuna industry faces uncertainty.
Turning the ground at the future food processing plant in Pago Pago Photo: Monica Miller
