The country’s second biggest dairy processor said the new plant would produce 30,000 tonnes of milk powder from 220 million litres of milk, the same volume as its existing dryer.
Production from the new dryer would start from August next year.
The company, majority owned by Talleys food group, is signing up farmers to supply the new dryer, expecting to collect milk from up to 90 farms as close as possible to the Imlay site.
A spokesman for Open Country, which also has processing plants in Waikato and Southland, said the new drier would not run at full capacity in its first year while systems bedded in.
OCD, founded 10 years ago, has about 650 suppliers.
