Lepel Dairy and Canning Plant will supply half of its produced dry milk to Venezuela this year

November 15, Vitebsk / Olga Bogacheva - BELTA /. Lepel Dairy Canned Goods Plant OJSC will supply about 50% of its produced skimmed milk powder to Venezuela in 2010, the enterprise informed a BELTA correspondent. A total of 4.5 thousand tons of skimmed milk powder worth $16.2 million will be exported to Venezuela. The main part of the products has already been shipped, and the last 300 tons are planned to be sent by the end of November. Due to a threefold increase in supplies to Venezuela compared to 2009, this country's market share in the enterprise's total export volume for January-October this year has increased to 39.6%. The increase in supplies to Venezuela is due to the redistribution of the enterprise's export flows, mainly due to the adjustment of product supplies to Russia. In the future, the plant intends to increase exports to Venezuela. For example, negotiations are already underway for the supply of 6 thousand tons of skimmed milk powder in 2011. In total, over 10 months, the enterprise exported products worth $40.8 million, which is 2.2 times more than in the same period last year. The plant's main partner is Russia, which accounts for 52% of the total export volume. Supplies are also made to Kazakhstan and Moldova. Investments in fixed assets for January-October amounted to Br20.4 billion. By the end of the year, it is planned to allocate another Br7 billion for the modernization of the enterprise. The enterprise was commissioned in 1951 and reformed into an OJSC in 1998. The plant includes the agricultural production branch "Zaozerye", Tolochin Butter and Cheese Plant, Dokshitsy Production Workshop, and Beshenkovichi Milk Receiving Station. The enterprise specializes in the production of whole and skimmed milk powder, dairy products, cheeses, ice cream, butter, and milk substitutes. The range of products manufactured includes over 100 items. The average number of employees is over 860 people. For January-October of the current year, products worth Br180.8 billion were produced, or 114% compared to the same period in 2009. The profitability of sales for nine months was 4.3%. -0-