Zimbabwe flies under radar with new dairy

A dairy processing venture is said to be under construction in Zimbabwe. The country has not had a processing facility since 2009, when Swiss food giant, Nestlé, suspended milk purchases 
under pressure from international human rights groups.

Equipment for the dairy has already been imported 
from South Africa at an estimated cost of about $15 million (€11.2m) .

When completed, the plant is expected to manufacture dairy 
products such as milk, cheese, ice cream and yogurt.

“The state-of-the-art plant is the real reason why more than 80 newly
resettled farmers were forcibly removed from farms in the Mazowe area
last month,” according to a source. The official explanation for the evictions was the affected farmers
were destroying the environment by engaging in gold panning activities.

Nestlé left after international pressure in October 2009. Problems for the Grace Mugabe-run Gushungo were compounded by the
 failure by former parastatal, Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited, to satisfy 
demand for dairy products due to cashflow problems.