Rwanda Gains a $45 Million Milk Powder Plant

By The Inspirer.

Prime Minister Dr. Edouard Ngirente officially inaugurated the Inyange Industries Milk Powder Plant in Nyagatare on July 24, 2024. The plant processes up to 650,000 liters of milk per day.

The plant can handle 50,000 liters of milk per hour. The milk is first tested for quality, then filtered and cooled to 4 degrees Celsius before being stored.

Arsene Ntazinda, the Plant Manager, explained that the facility has two reception areas, each capable of handling at least 25,000 liters, delivered in specially designed vehicles.

The received milk is separated from its cream, with the cream processed separately.

Ntazinda explained that milk consists of 87-90% water. Through processing, the water content is reduced to 10-12% of the original milk volume.

The milk is heated using technology that preserves its nutrients, reaching temperatures of 120 degrees Celsius, with processing steps bringing it down to 70 degrees. The resulting powder retains less than 5% of the original water content.

The extracted water is treated to be environmentally safe and is used for irrigation and other plant activities.

The plant has two laboratories: a Physico-Chemistry Lab and a Microbiology Lab, both equipped to provide results within 24 hours.

Ntazinda said, “Ordinarily, you might wait 48 hours or up to five days for results, but here we get them very quickly.”

James Biseruka, the CEO of Inyange Industries, highlighted that the plant buys milk from farmers nationwide and produces products for both local and international markets.

“We can handle up to 650,000 liters of milk from across the country and are excited to announce that our country will now enter the international market. Powdered milk is not something we previously produced, but with Inyange’s new capabilities, we can now supply this product domestically and internationally, allowing Rwanda to compete globally,” Biseruka stated.

He mentioned that over $54 million has been invested in the plant. Since April 2024, the plant has processed 4.2 million liters of milk from across the country.

“This has solved the problem farmers faced in finding buyers for their milk,” he added.

Biseruka noted that the plant’s diverse products will reduce the need for some imports.

Inyange Milk Powder Plant produces milk powder, ghee, cheese, and other products. The milk powder is packaged in 25 kg and 50 kg bags, primarily for industrial use. It is designed to reconstitute back into fresh milk when mixed with water.

Biseruka affirmed that Inyange Industries continues to drive change, requiring various daily operational supplies, which fosters the growth of other industries.

With its advanced technology, the plant employs 270 workers, and farmers supplying milk have been paid Rwf 1.3 billion.

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