Dendairy to commission two packaging machines

Bus4Lovemore Zigara Midlands Correspondent
KWEKWE–based dairy processor, Dendairy, is set to commission two new packaging machines for aseptic production of dairy products.
Aseptic processing is the process by which germ-free products are packaged in a disinfected container in a way that maintains sterility.Dendairy managing director Darren Coetzee said the Tetra Pak machines would produce 100 and 200 millilitre (ml) sachets of long life shelf milk.

The new products are expected to hit the market in September.

“We have imported two new Tetra Pak for Tetra Fino Aseptic (TFA) machines and they will be producing 100 and 200ml long life sachets which will last six months,” said Coetzee.

“The technology is cheaper on packaging which will make us competitive especially with our South African counterparts who have low overheads.

“We are busy commissioning the new plant right now and the new products should be ready for the market in September.”

Dendairy has the capacity to process over four million litres of  milk monthly but is operating at 20 percent capacity utilisation due to a shortage of the commodity on the market.

In September last year, the dairy firm invested $6 million in the purchase of a Tetra Pak plant which saw the company becoming the first local dairy producer to introduce long life shelf milk on the market.

Statistics availed by the Zimbabwe Association of Dairy Farmers (ZADF) show that local milk production stands at 4 to 4,5 million litres per month against a national demand of 8 million litres monthly.

The deficit is being offset by imports mainly from South Africa.

ZADF chairman Craig Follwell said there is a need for financing of dairy farmers for them to import dairy cows to increase milk production in the country.

He said input costs incurred by farmers especially high stock feeds imported from South Africa have made local milk prices uncompetitive as compared to imports.

“To increase production, farmers need to increase their herds and this can only be done by financing dairy farmers in this regard.
“Most dairy farms are also in dire need of refurbishment and there is a need to replace old equipment as well,” said Follwell.

“The other challenge that we have is the input cost to the farmer and  this mainly has to do with stock feeds. We need to get to a point where we can grow our own feed and not rely on imports from outside the country which are very expensive.”

The government has assured dairy farmers that they will be spared from compulsory land acquisition if they increase milk production.

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