Venezuelan Government Plans a New Milk Company
VENEZUELA - According to press reports, the former Lacteos Los Andres dairy processing enterprise will now be named ENLANDES, and its product lines and social responsibility programmes adjusted.
9 December 2008
2 minute read
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has officially taken over Lacteos Los Andes, and changed its structure to a social production enterprise (SPE) under the commercial name Empresa Nacional Lacteos Los Andes, or ENLANDES.
Local news agencies, El Nacional and El Universal, reported that the company reportedly has a processing capacity of 190,000 litres of milk per day, from which 110,000 liters are used for production of pasteurized products; and 80,000 litres are used in the elaboration of other milk products. The government estimates that it will be able to increase milk production in the plant to satisfy about 40 percent of domestic demand.
In addition to increase the milk production and dairy products, the plant will have the responsibility of improving the quality of life for their employees and the community of Nueva Bolivia where the plant is located. President Chavez announced that 20 percent of ENLANDES earnings during this year will be used for social programs.
Chavez also demanded that the ENLANDES board of directors increase the production of pasteurized fruit juices out of Creole fruits as guava, oranges and passion fruit, instead of apples and pears which are not grown in Venezuela.
Cattlemen’s Opinion
The president of the Venezuelan Cattlemen’s Association (FEDENAGA), Genaro Mendez, believes that the production figures of Lacteos Los Andes that the government mentions are not accurate and that these announcements are driven by the electoral politics of the upcoming elections [in November].
Mr. Mendez explained that “Lacteos Los Andes is not a company that processes such a quantity of milk; at this moment they must be receiving between 60 to 70 thousands litres per day, which is not very high, while President Chavez says that the government is going to handle 40 per cent of the milk market.” He added that 40 per cent of the national milk supply will be equivalent to 500 thousand litres per day, and “I do not think that this company has the capacity to process such an amount….”
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