NYAGATARE - Livestock farmers are set to benefit from a multi-million dairy plant that is set to be set up in Nyagatare district next year.

Speaking to Business Times in an exclusive interview early this week, Kbet Jackson, the General Manager of the project that is said to be worth Rwf1 billion, said that the project managers are currently setting the infrastructure and testing it before launching. 

"We are at the testing stages and some of the necessary machines have already been installed. We are optimistic that by early or late January 2010, we shall have launched the dairy plant officially,” Kbet said.

Meant to assist the Eastern Province livestock farmers, the milk plant will have the capacity to process 30,000 litres of milk a day, according to Kbet.

"We will start with processing both flavoured and non flavoured milk,” he said, adding that they have already been given a green light by the Rwanda Bureau of Standards (RBS).

‘We have been licensed and some of our milk products are already at different markets in Kigali and Nyagatare town,’ he added.

Asked about the sustainability, the general manager said that authorities will work closely with milk collection centres around the province. 

The dairy plant authority is working closely with the East Africa Dairy Development project operating in Nyagatare district and the Rwanda Animal Resources Development Agency (RARDA), to mobilise farmers to shift from rearing local breeds to cross-breeds and exotic cows that will produce enough milk to support the plant. 
 

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