27th May 2016 12:05
LONDON (Alliance News) - United Cacao Ltd, the AIM-quoted cacao plantation company based in Peru, on Friday reiterated that it operates in full compliance with all applicable Peruvian and environmental laws relating to planning, land use, development, operation and plantation standards.
The reiteration of that guidance, referring to standards most recently confirmed on May 5, came as United Cacao noted "purported claims" made on the website of the National Forestry and Wildlife Service, or Servicio Nacional Forestal y de Fauna Silvestre, in Peru in relation to its activities in the country.
"United Cacao is in regular correspondence with the Ministry of Agriculture's Department of Agriculture. However, the company has not received any correspondence or communications from SERFOR or the DGAAA on these claims and its activities do not fall under the auspices of SERFOR. The company wishes to point out that the SERFOR statement is self-described as opinion and the claims contained in the statement are baseless and have no legal standing," United Cacao said in a statement.
The company said in January that the Federal Supreme Court of Peru re-affirmed the Loreto Superior Court of Appeals' ruling in March 2015, which "itself originally confirmed the company's environmental permitting and agricultural zoning since 1997".
According to United Cacao, it submitted in September 2013 its terms of reference for the environmental reporting documentation, known locally as a PAMA.
"The authorities, including the DGAAA, requested that the company submit a PAMA due to the on-going nature of agricultural activities on the company's land; since that time the authorities have not issued documentation to the company changing this position nor requesting an alternative environmental certification. The company's terms of reference for the PAMA were approved by the relevant authorities on 9 October 2013. As part of this PAMA, United Cacao's community participation plan was submitted to the relevant authorities on 4 September 2014 and subsequently approved. Final approval of the completed PAMA is expected during the course of 2016," United Cacao said in a statement.
Shares in United Cacao were down 2.6% at 95.00 pence Friday.
By Samuel Agini; [email protected]; @samuelagini
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