Authoritative sources said the proposed dairy processing venture, to
be called Alpha Dairy, has been on the cards since the 2009 debacle
when Swiss food giant, Nestle, suspended milk purchases 
under pressure from international human rights groups.
“The state-of-the-art plant is the real reason why more than 80 newly
resettled farmers were forcibly removed from farms in the Mazowe area
last month,” a source said this week.
The official explanation for the evictions was the affected farmers
were destroying the environment by engaging in gold panning activities,
The sources said equipment for the dairy had already been imported
from South Africa at an estimated cost of about $15 million.

When completed, the plant is expected to manufacture dairy
products such as milk, cheese, ice cream and yoghurt.
Nestle bowed to international pressure in October 2009 after a global
consumer boycott. Problems for the Grace Mugabe-run Gushungo were compounded by the
failure by former parastatal, Dairibord Zimbabwe Limited, to satisfy
demand for dairy products due to cashflow problems.
Post published in: News