(Resource News International) — The 850,000-tonne per year canola processing plant built by Louis Dreyfus Canada and Mitsui Canada near Yorkton, Sask. is expected to start operations by mid-November, an official with LDM Foods confirmed.
Early plans had called for the facility to be operational by this month.
The facility, once fully operational, is expected to produce roughly 500,000 tonnes of meal and 350,000 tonnes of canola oil per year.
“We will begin unloading canola seed in mid-October with the goal of commencing operations in mid-November,” said Brent German, the plant manager for LDM Foods.
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The grand opening of the facility, however, is tentatively scheduled for July 2010, he said.
The plant, located in the heart of the canola-growing region in eastern Saskatchewan, is expected to procure the majority of its canola directly from producers in the area.
The site is served by both Canadian National and Canadian Pacific Railways and is expected to service export demand through Vancouver as well as U.S. demand.
Construction of the facility began Sept. 7, 2006.
Production from the plant will be mostly for the food market, German said.
The plant has also started accepting production contracts with producers, he said.
