A modern dairy processing and cheese plant worth 10 million manat is being built in the village of Ivanovka, Ismayilli region. The project aims to boost the agro-industry in the Mountain Shirvan economic zone and create a competitive production chain in the country's dairy market. The goal is to process milk locally, add value, and prevent raw material losses.
The plant will produce butter, cottage cheese, cream, hard and semi-hard cheeses, local cheese varieties, and European-style cheeses.
Economist Rauf Garayev noted that the plant alone won't solve sector problems; parallel steps like creating farms, increasing breeding stock, applying innovative technologies, and strengthening veterinary infrastructure are necessary.
Expert Mirjavid Hasanov emphasized that processing industries generate higher income than raw material sales and provide farmers with a stable sales channel.
Akif Nasirli, head of the Center for Liberal Economists, stated that without strengthening the raw material base, large plants may not be efficient. He recommended subsidies per dairy cow.
