CCPR Aims to Increase Production Capacity to 1.2 Million Tons Annually
The Central Cooperative of Rural Producers (CCPR), Brazil’s largest dairy cooperative, which supplies factories for Lactalis, inaugurated its new animal feed factory on Thursday (October 31) in the district of São José da Lagoa, Curvelo, located in central Minas Gerais. The company expects to boost its production capacity of feed and mineral supplements from the current 300,000 tons per year to 1.2 million tons annually after the completion of further expansions at the new facility.
The industrial plant for feed and mineral supplements for ruminants received an investment of R$ 240 million and will have a production capacity of 540,000 tons per year during the first phase of operations, employing 200 people.
This unit will support the production at the industrial plant located in Contagem, in the metropolitan area of Belo Horizonte, which produces 300,000 tons annually.
The establishment of the industrial plant will occur in three phases. The first phase is already completed. The second phase involves the construction of a dryer and silos for grain storage, with a capacity of 1 million sacks. Construction on these structures is currently 55% complete.
A third phase will expand the production of feed and supplements to serve the markets for pets and fish, based on market demand.
“We will have a process here that will add significant value to agricultural production and invigorate this region, especially in terms of agricultural output and job creation, allowing this already growing area to realize even greater potential,” said Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema (Novo) during the inauguration ceremony.
The cooperative central produces approximately 500 formulas to serve its members. CCPR has 25,000 cooperators and collects about 90 million liters of milk per month.
During the inauguration, CCPR also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Company of Minas Gerais (Emater-MG) to facilitate the supply of milk from small producers to schools in Minas Gerais through the National School Feeding Program (PNAE).
“Only the school meals for the state education system purchase more than R$ 600 million in food products annually, allowing us to enhance the market and promote the products of family agriculture,” said Otávio Maia, president of Emater-MG. He estimates that the project will begin in the first half of 2025.
“This partnership will benefit both the students and the producers,” said CCPR President Marcelo Candiotto.
