Among the new projects are the VND330 billion (USD 18.4 mil) magnesite and fire-resistant material manufacturing plant by the Vietnam National Coal and Mineral Industries Group (Viancomin), the VND200 billion water supply system for Pleiku City by Tuan Loc Co. and the VND1.17 trillion rubber-growing project on 18,000 hectares by Vietnam Rubber Industry Group.

Over VND45 billion was also donated by companies at the conference for social welfare projects in the province. The conference also offered information on 39 projects calling for investments from now to 2015.

The province showcased a list of 53 projects in need of investment, with a total cost of about VND11.2 trillion.

Most of the projects focus on the potentials of the locality like agro-industrial trees, livestock farming, mineral exploitation and tourism. Meanwhile, the province also attempted to orient the money flow into disadvantaged sectors like tap water supply, roadside station establishment, agricultural machine manufacturing, fertilizer and pesticide production and aquatic farming.

The province wants to lure more processors and distributors to raise the added-value of its abundant yields of industrial crops, said Le Quang Dat, director of the provincial investment promotion center.

The province has already planted 245,000 hectares of coffee, corn, sugarcane and cashews. About 53,500 hectares of new rubber growing areas will be added via the licensing of nine out of 14 registered projects.

The province is looking for partners for a four-to-five-star hotel worth about VND150 billion and covering about 4,100 square meters. Another VND50 billion hotel at the Le Thanh International Border Gate and other projects of eco-friendly resorts, supermarkets and restaurants are pending investment.

The Central Highlands province will also pay attention to environment preservation and the agriculture sector with a VND50 billion waste treatment facility turning garbage into fertilizer.

An assembly plant for agricultural machines and equipment worth VND88.5 billion and a mechanical engineering plant for steel products were also proposed.

The conference was part of the International Gong Festival 2009 organized by the province since last Thursday.