September 5, 2005

Iran to be self-sufficient in milk powder by year-end

Iran will attain self-sufficiency in formula-milk production by this year-end when the country's sole milk powder production unit starts to operate, said Siamak Samimi-Dehkordi, an official from the Ministry of Industries and Mines.

Samimi-Dehkordi also revealed that about EUR24 million and another IRR170 billion (US$18.8 million) have been pumped into the milk powder factory's construction, which started in 2000.

The factory will have an annual capacity of 15,000 tonnes of non-fat milk powder; just producing half of this amount will meet domestic demand. The factory can also export the product to other countries in the region, especially in Turkey where annual demand stands at 22 million cans.

As it is, the country spends US$20-25 million on importing milk powder yearly.

The new milk powder production unit is affiliated to Mashhad Dairy Industries.