New Zealand Milk Products, a subsidiary of New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra, has announced it is to invest NZ$113m (US$55.9m) in an expansion of its Edendale milk processing plant in order to improve processing capacity for New Zealand’s South Island.

The expansion will increase output from 160,000 tonnes to 210,000 tonnes a year and create up to 20 permanent jobs, according to factory manager Bruce Donnison.

The plant improvements are also expected to help absorb milk production increases and meet processing demands across the South Island, reported the Southland Times.