Lazar Dairy builds biogas plant - USD 1.5 million for wastewater treatment and electricity production

Representatives of Blac-based Lazar Dairy and the company GHD from Wisconsin (USA) signed an agreement today on the construction of a biogas plant at the milking cow farm in Blac. The whole amount of the investment is USD 1.5 million, most of which will be spent on the construction of accompanying infrastructure for the biogas plant at the very farm.

This plant is expected to be put in operation prior to September 2011. By applying this technology, Lazar Dairy will solve the problem of biodegradable waste from that farm and the dairy's production process (manure and whey) using waste as fuel for production of biogas and electric power. The investment is expected to return in three years.

Susan Fritz, the USAID Director in Serbia, pointed out that the use of appropriate technologies in the treatment of waste was very important for agriculture because it not only represented an ecologically responsible practice, but also enabled big savings, as well as larger revenues.

- Lazar Dairy has recognized the advantage of use of so-called "green" technologies. Of course, the Energy Law makes it possible for us to use the advantages of electricity production at subsidized prices and, thus, improve our business competitiveness. Concerning the fact that our investment is, in some way, a pioneer undertaking, we expect relevant government institutions to provide appropriate support in the provision of necessary permissions and licenses and, in the end, enable connecting with the power system of Serbia - said Milan Vidojevic, the Director of Lazar Dairy.

This activity was initiated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) through the project aimed at promoting renewable source of energy, while the USAID Agribusiness Project played the key role by presenting that type of technology to dairy and meat industries in Serbia.

Lazar started its operations in 1994 with two workers. Today this company processes about 50,000 liters of milk a day and its capacity amounts to 80,000 liters. Lazar Dairy now has 160 workers, while over 2,500 farms produces milk for the needs of production at that dairy. The dairy purchases milk from the regions of Toplica and Rasina. Part of Lazar DOO is a farm with 600 milking cows.

Lazar doo Blace

USAID Agrobiznis projekat

U.S. Department of Agriculture Washington Ministarstvo poljoprivrede SAD

GHD

Wisconsin

Susan Fritz

USAID

USDA

Milan Vidojevic

farm

biogas

milk

dairy

dairy cow

biodegradable waste

renewable energy sources

whey

manure