2012 peak milk production setting new records

MEDIA RELEASE – 30 NOVEMBER 2012

2012 peak milk production setting new records

In spite of a cold, wet spring on the West Coast, Westland Milk Products’ shareholder/suppliers on both sides of the Alps have re-written the record books with a peak milk production of 3.2 million litres, edging ahead of last season by 3% season to date.

Says Chief Executive Rod Quin: “This essentially means our shareholders are managing to maintain and even improve on production, which is a considerable testament to their productivity and efficiency.”

Peak milk is now declining in Canterbury but good volumes are still coming in from West Coast shareholders resulting in record amounts of product being produced on a weekly basis. For example, Westland made 10,617 metric tonnes of milk-based product to the end of, an 11.3% increase on last season. This was due in part to earlier milk collection enabling farmers to have more choice of their calving program.

“The challenge of this additional product is a welcome one especially in a rising market,” Quin says, “and that’s where our new capacity to manufacture nutritional products comes in.

“Our strategic decision to enter the higher value dairy nutritionals market was part of our commitment to improve our shareholders’ pay-out and put the company on a stronger financial footing.

“We commissioned our new infant formula plant in September and samples of these new products have been sent into the market and feedback has been very positive. We are on track for the new plant to come into full commercial production in February. This will not only mark a significant new chapter in Westland Milk Products’ history, it’s a significant step toward generating more value out of our milk and therefore returning more to our shareholders.”

ENDS

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