Northern Irish dairy in new China business

Dale Farm, Northern Ireland's biggest dairy company, has won a new deal within China which will bring its annual exports to the Asian nation to £20 million.

The latest deal for Dale Farm, part of United Dairy Farmers co-operative, is with a Shanghai business for whey protein powder.

The contract follows a visit to Dale Farm's processing plant in county Tyrone by trade agency Shanghai Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.

Commenting on the latest contract, Dr David Dobbin, Dale Farm chief executive, says the company had identified significant growth opportunities in China and other parts of Asia.

"China continues to be one of main drivers for growth in world dairy markets, and it is forecast that by 2020, the demand for milk based products will be almost double that of China's internal milk supply.

"For this reason the Chinese market is a key target in Dale Farm's strategy of developing export business."

Dale Farm's recently expanded cheese and whey protein plant at Cookstown in Tyrone is among the most advanced operations of its type in the world. A recent investment will enable the company to double production of cheddar and whey protein powders.