AUCKLAND, New Zealand, Nov. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 21 (local time), Chinese leaders and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key jointly unveiled Yili Oceania Production Base, which is the first project in a new package of cooperation between the two countries. The project covering packaging, production, processing and R&D is the world's largest integrated dairy production base.
Yili has put an investment of more than RMB 3 billion to the project, located in Waimate, South Island, New Zealand, including the previous investment of RMB 1.2 billion and the new added investment of RMB 2 billion.
It is reported that the new investment will be used in four parts, including a raw milk deep-processing project, a UHT liquid milk project, a milk powder production facility and a packaging facility. The raw milk deep-processing project and the UHT liquid milk project, with an investment of RMB 200 million and nearly RMB 500 million respectively, will become the largest and highest in technology of its kind in New Zealand.
In the same day, Yili Group and Lincoln University signed an Agreement on Scientific Cooperation across the Whole Dairy Industry Chain. According to the Agreement, the two sides will carry out in-depth cooperation based on their unique resources and technological advantages, focusing on the strategy of whole dairy industry chain. The first step is to focus on innovative technologies for improving nutrition and quality assurance in dairy products in the coming years. Lincoln University, with a history of 136 years, is the only one specialized in agriculture and food sciences in the Southern Hemisphere and a world-class research institution in the fields.
Yili was the only Group signing two cooperation projects during Chinese leaders' visit to New Zealand, and it was also invited to the Sino-New Zealand joint agricultural exhibition and welcome luncheon, setting a new record in the history of Sino-New Zealand trade and economic cooperation in terms of project value and engagement in diplomatic activities.
