The Sunday News
Dumisani Nsingo, Senior Business Reporter
THE country’s largest milk processor and dairy products producer, Dairibord Holdings is set to explore the export market with an array of products this year on the back of increased production from its newly commissioned $3,5 million state-of-the-art Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) processing and packaging plant.
Dairibord Holdings corporate communications manager Ms Imelda Shoko said the UHT processing and packaging plant in Chipinge would be multi-tasked to produce an assortment of products for both the local and export markets. The plant was commissioned in August and has capacity to produce 40 million litres of milk in a year.
“The same plant will process and pack the Dairibord Supermilk targeted for both local and export markets. Due to the flexibility and versatility of this plant, dairy juice blends and 100 percent fruit juices in cartons will be produced and packaged from the same machine before end of the year. In view of this, Dairibord is confident of meeting local and export demand thereby significantly contributing to the rebuilding of the local manufacturing industry and also generating the much needed foreign currency,” said Ms Shoko.
Presently the plant is being used for processing and packing the Dairibord Chimombe one-litre Long Life Milk Full Cream and Low Fat variants in a carton pack. The one-litre Chimombe Long Life Milk was previously toll manufactured in South Africa.
The company has also doubled its Pfuko/Udiwo Mahewu capacity from 25 to 50 million litres per annum following the successful completion of the plant with a total investment of $2, 3 million. However, the company slumped to a $2 million loss for the half-year ended June, 2016 owing to a combination of macro-economic factors. The firm posted a $415 000 net profit in the comparable period last year. While the group recorded a 14 percent rise in raw milk intake, it saw revenues decline by 12 percent to $42,5 million.
@DNsingo
