Cheese exports gain momentum Commodities Bureau Mumbai, Jan 19 Indian made mozzarella cheese, hitherto an Italian speciality, is gaining popularity in the US. Artiginale Italiano Inc has tied up with Himalya International, for sourcing this cheese to market in North America. At full capacity, it shall process 15 million lbs of specialty cheese per annum valued at $25 million and the entire produce will be sold via Artiginale. Himalya shall be the first company, outside Italy, which will process this specialty cheese using the natural advantage of the abundance of buffalo milk in India. The entire cheese unit meets SA3 International standards for the dairy industry. The company has already embarked on massive program of backward linkage for the contract purchase of high protein buffalo milk directly from farmers. It has approached Nabard to finance dairy farms with buy-back arrangements, under the new incentives scheme of Union government for dairy development. Himalya shall set up ‘village level collection centers’ under the Nabard scheme and has roped in 2,000 farmers to procure the high protein milk for the production of the specialty mozzarella cheese. The first phase of production has been commenced. A technical team from the US Collaborator have visited the unit and provided training to the company for 3 weeks as well as oversees the entire start up operation. With the Gulf states of US-Florida, Mississippi, Alabama and Louisianna nearing normalcy, the company feels that the after effects of the hurricanes have been contained and as such has resulted in a negligible impact on the overall performance of the company.

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