Zimpapers Logo

Lovemore Zigara, Midlands Correspondent
KWEKWE based milk processor, Dendairy plans to install new equipment at its plant in a bid to increase its capacity to three million litres of milk per month.

The company has seen capacity utilisation increase to about 70 percent on the back of the Dairy Revitalisation Programme, which has seen the growth of the dairy industry by 17 percent over the past year.

Dendairy managing director, Mr Darren Coetzee, told Business Chronicle that the new equipment was expected to be commissioned this year.

“We are looking at importing new machinery and hopefully installing before the beginning of next year. This project is expected to cost $2.5 million, which will increase our capacity to about three million litres of milk per month,” he said.

Mr Coetzee said shortages of foreign currency was a challenge in the long run particularly on packaging materials for its Tetra Pak products, which are imported.

“We rely on imports for our long life products from China, Europe and South America. At the moment we are coping despite foreign currency shortages.

“We haven’t run out of packaging and we want to remain positive,” said Mr Coetzee.

The company last year commissioned another $3.5 million plant to increase its products range. —@lavuzigara1