Extralait Expands Production with New Dairy Facility
Extralait, a prominent agricultural cooperative in Morocco, has inaugurated a state-of-the-art pasteurized milk plant in the northwestern city of Kenitra, marking a significant investment of $10.8 million. This strategic move aims to enhance the cooperative's market presence and diversify its range of dairy products. The new facility will boast a pasteurized milk production unit alongside modernized yogurt and butter production lines, which are anticipated to generate approximately 139 direct employment opportunities for the local community.
This initiative has been developed under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s program dedicated to advancing food industries in Morocco. The primary objective of this project is to strengthen the dairy supply chain and contribute to national food security, reflecting the cooperative's commitment to sustainable agricultural practices and local economic development.
Strengthening the Cooperative Model
During the launch of the facility, Industry and Trade Minister Ryad Mazzour emphasized the foundational principles of the cooperative model, which are rooted in unity and resilience. Over the past seven decades, Extralait has successfully united nearly 12,000 small-scale farmers across 44 cooperatives and 57 milk collection centers, showcasing the power of collective effort in enhancing agricultural productivity. Mazzour, as quoted in Morocco World News, underscored the vital role farmers play in establishing a competitive dairy system, highlighting how their collaborative initiatives can meet international production standards, enhance capacity, and improve livelihoods in rural areas.
Youssef Lakbida, the director of food industries at the Ministry, described the new facility as a pivotal investment project aimed at increasing the cooperative’s production capacity, modernizing its production lines, and expanding its product offerings. The cooperative sector in Morocco has witnessed remarkable growth in recent years; as reported by #coops4dev, the number of cooperatives in the country nearly doubled between 2015 and 2019, reaching a total of 27,262 cooperatives with 563,776 members. A significant portion of this growth is attributed to the agricultural sector, which encompasses approximately 17,582 cooperatives, reinforcing the importance of local initiatives in bolstering food security and economic resilience.
As reported by thenews.coop.
