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"The goal of farmers who have established cooperative societies has always been to have their own influential dairy company. The exaggerated reaction of competitors, their opposition to farmers' unity and the construction of the new plant, proves that we are on the right track. We will prove that we can stand for our joint agricultural interests," said Krievars.

Cooperative society Dzese CEO Maris Petrevics also reminded that the farmers' own dairy plant was a long-cherished idea, writes LETA.

"Already since 1997, when the joint-stock company Kurzemes piens was liquidated, have we been without our own dairy industry in our region. The foundation of a new plant is not only in interest of Latvian farmers but the entire state. We can well see now that "foreign investors" are entering the other major dairy companies, and they may become the ones to decide what is happening in Latvian dairy industry. If we do not create a company with the national capital, we will end up dependent on investors," said Petrevics.

The new dairy plant will be located in Jelgava, at 7 Langervaldes Street, occupying an area of 4 hectares which Jelgava City Council has rented out to Latvijas Piens. The plant will be built by UB konstrukcijas.

The project of Latvijas Piens, which includes cooperative societies Trikata KS, Piena partneri KS and Dzese, is estimated to cost LVL 10.4 million. It is planned that the plant will launch operations in the summer of 2012, becoming one of the largest dairy plants in Latvia.