Pyongyang, September 16 (KCNA) -- Pyongyang Stevia Processing Factory has been updated to be a center for the mass-production of sweetener.

Stevia is a perennial plant of compositae family whose Korean nomenclature Phalwolphul was named by President Kim Il Sung himself in the 1970s.

The factory was built in Samsok area of Pyongyang 30 years ago. It produced liquid sweeteners.

It has recently been equipped with latest facilities, establishing computer-aided integral production system for the general automation of the whole production processes and business management.

As a result, it began to successfully produce quality powder sweetener-monoside.

This product was proved to be the super class or first class one as all its analyzing indices meet the standards set up by international organizations.

This sweetener is also widely applicable to food processing, pharmaceutical industry and so on.

Some days ago, leader Kim Jong Il gave field guidance to the factory which successfully carried out the policy of the Workers' Party of Korea on building light industry based on locally available raw materials.