Download Expression of Interest
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The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has officially operationalized a 300-litre pasteurization plant at the Sugar Cane Feed Centre in Longdenville, marking a significant advancement in the Government’s strategic agenda to revitalize the domestic dairy industry and enhance national food security.
The commissioning ceremony brought together key stakeholders across Government and the agricultural sector, including Ms. Annalean Inniss, Permanent Secretary (Ag.) in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Mr. Zameed Jumanali, Director of the Sugar Cane Feed Centre, and Dr. the Honourable Rishad Seecheran, Member of Parliament for Caroni East and Minister in the Ministry of Health.
The facility represents a targeted, value chain driven intervention aimed at addressing long-standing structural constraints within the dairy sector, including limited processing capacity, restricted market access, and declining local milk production.
In delivering the feature address, Senator the Honourable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, underscored the strategic importance of the initiative, stating:
“The operationalization of this pasteurization plant represents more than the activation of infrastructure; it is a decisive step toward transforming our dairy industry into a more competitive, resilient, and value-driven sector. By expanding processing capacity and creating new market pathways, we are empowering our farmers, strengthening food security, and reducing our reliance on imported dairy products.”
The facility is designed to function as a decentralized processing hub, providing dairy farmers with a reliable outlet for fresh raw milk while enabling the production of a range of value-added products, including yogurt, cheese, paneer, cream, ice cream, and traditional dairy items such as dahee. This diversification is expected to improve income stability for farmers and stimulate growth within the agro-processing subsector.
The initiative is supported by a suite of complementary measures under the Ministry’s broader dairy development framework. These include planned capacity building and certification programmes, enhanced extension services, improved forage and pasture management systems, and the introduction of superior dairy genetics to increase herd productivity and milk yields.
The Ministry also emphasized the facility’s role in advancing food safety and quality assurance. Through standardized pasteurization processes and adherence to national food safety protocols, the plant will support the production of safe, high-quality dairy products for local consumption.
Over the medium to long term, the operationalization of the pasteurization plant is expected to contribute to the expansion and modernization of the domestic dairy value chain, reduce dependence on imported dairy products, and foster strategic partnerships with private sector entities for product development and commercialization.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries reaffirmed its commitment to continued collaboration with farmers, industry stakeholders, and development partners to drive innovation, improve productivity, and position the dairy sector for sustainable growth.
