January 15, 2007

Nestle Pakistan unveils dairy expansion plans 
 

Nestle Pakistan, a milk processing and marketing company plans to invest PKR 2 billion (US$0.328 billion) in dairy and corporate farming, said Roland Decorvet, company managing director.

Roland said that they would hand over some 2,000-5,000 imported cows from Australia to three private firms with the aim of not just improving milk supply but also enhancing its production.

In Pakistan Nestle has become a household name which manufactures and markets a wide range of dairy products.

Considering Pakistan's underdeveloped dairy sector, Nestle has made significant investments to revolutionise the dairy sector. It installed a state-of-the-art equipment to improve milk production and collection in Pakistan which incidentally, has attracted several foreign investors in the sector, MD Nestle said.

Karachi has been emphasising on upgrading its livestock and agricultural sector.

Investments by private players and government's endeavours to focus more in the dairy and farming sector are expected to fetch annual 6 percent growth of the sector, Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Livestock secretary Muhammad Ismail Qureshi said.

Incidentally, Nestle was ranked fourth in the Corporate Philanthropy Category. Nestle also assists dairy farmers in vaccination and treatment of livestock, improved breeding and animal husbandry practices and provision of high yield fodder seed.  A major contribution by Nestle has been the development of transparency in milk prices paid to suppliers.

The company has also been on the forefront of national efforts in times of crisis which includes distribution of relief goods during the Oct 8 earthquake.