A new workshop for sour cream production, increased capacity for packaged butter output – what modernization will be carried out in 2025 at OJSC "Verkhnedvinsk Butter and Cheese Factory" was explained to Prime Minister Alexander Turchin during his working trip to the Vitebsk region.

Svetlana Chivirova, head of the "Verkhnedvinsk Butter and Cheese Factory" agroholding, stated that the agroholding comprises eight organizations: a processing enterprise, a service enterprise, and six agricultural organizations. This year, an investment project is being implemented within the framework of the "One District - One Project" program. The enterprise plans to modernize its energy system, wastewater treatment facilities, and construct a new workshop for sour cream production. Funds for this have been allocated by the Development Bank.

"To develop the enterprise, a decision was made to modernize the energy supply systems and wastewater treatment facilities, and in parallel, we are increasing butter production volumes and organizing sour cream production. The total cost of the project is Br40.5 million, of which 25% should be the enterprise's own funds. Thanks to this project, we will be able to organize the service infrastructure properly and in the required volume, and after that, open a workshop for manufacturing sour cream with a capacity of 360 tons per year, and double the production of packaged butter. Currently, due to technical capabilities, we only package 50% of our butter, and sell the rest in wholesale packaging," explained the head of the enterprise.

She added that last year, industrial production increased by more than 35% compared to 2023. "We produced 10 thousand tons of cheese and 2.1 thousand tons of butter. We are an export-oriented enterprise, with 90% of our products going abroad. The main export destination is cheese, which is mainly supplied to the regions of Russia. As for dry whey, the export geography is expanding annually. We sell this product to China and have also developed new markets in the Philippines, Indonesia, Oman, Yemen, and Nigeria," informed the plant director.

Svetlana Chivirova noted that in December 2023, another enterprise was joined to the agroholding – the Shumilinsky production workshop of JSC "Polotsk Dairy Plant," where some equipment has already been replaced. A large-scale technical re-equipment is planned for this workshop to increase the production of cheeses under the "Yan Syrodel" brand and to launch the production of blue cheese.

vitebsk-region.gov.by