Cherkizovo starts production at three new pork facilities

Russian meat producer Cherkizovo has started production at three new greenfield pork sites in the regions of Tambov, Voronezh and Lipetsk in central Russia.

The integrated multi-site facilities can accommodate 4,800 sows and each plant has an estimated annual capacity of 12,500t of live-weight pork.

Each facility includes separate breeding, rearing and fattening units that use state-of-the art technology, the company claims.

Cherkizovo initiated the construction at these sites in 2010 with the total investment set to reach $130m, 20% of which will be financed by Cherkizovo and the rest through bank loans.

By the end of 2013, the facilities are expected to reach their maximum combined production capacity of 37,500t live-weight pork.

Cherkizovo CEO Sergey Mikhailov said the new sites will enable Cherkizovo to increase production capacity in the high-margin pork segment, and their proximity to Cherkizovo’s existing pork and processing facilities will offer significant future synergy benefits for the company.