During her recent 10-day China tour, PepsiCo Chairman and CEO Indra Nooyi was busy with meetings with government officials, business partners, consumers, employees, customers and business partners. [File photo]

Indra Nooyi's business tour across China last month was the longest trip to a single overseas market for the celebrated PepsiCo chairman and CEO.

During her recent 10-day tour, Nooyi's schedule was filled with meetings with government officials, business partners, consumers, employees, customers and business partners.

She also attended a new plant opening ceremony and visited several agricultural bases.

"Despite the current uncertainty in many parts of the world, we have no doubt that China will remain a powerful engine of global economic expansion," said the India-born Nooyi.

She became CEO and chairman of PepsiCo in 2006, and was ranked No 1 in 2007 and again in 2008 among Fortune Magazine's 50 Most Powerful Women in Business.

Her positive views on China's economy have been reflected by her company's growing commitment to the emerging market.

In addition to manufacturing facility expansions, PepsiCo is increasing its investments in agricultural development here.

Agricultural efforts

As a large buyer of agricultural commodities such as corn, oats, oranges and potatoes, PepsiCo is working with local farmers to secure stable supplies of high-quality raw materials.

The US-based company also is helping farmers adopt advanced agricultural technologies and increase their incomes.

Nooyi met Chinese Commerce Minister Chen Deming during the visit to China in June, and he encouraged PepsiCo to invest more in agricultural development here.

In Chongqing, where PepsiCo's new plant opened on June 26, Mayor Bo Xilai suggested that the Fortune 500 company use local sweet potato resources to develop potato chips for China's consumer market and, at the same time, support Chongqing's sweet potato farming.

"We are seriously considering these suggestions," said Nooyi, 54, adding that agriculture is an important part of PepsiCo's strategy in China.

Nooyi announced a four-year, US$1 billion investment plan for China during her previous visit to the country last November.

"This is the largest, most ambitious development effort we've undertaken in our nearly 30 years of doing business here," she said.

During the last 12 years, the producer of Frito-Lay snacks and Quaker foods has invested 200 million yuan (US$29.28 million) to establish five farms in Inner Mongolia autonomous region and in Guangdong, Guangxi and Hebei provinces.