On Tuesday, May 30, 2023, Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani, accompanied by Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources Begard Talabani, launched Zom, the largest dairy factory in the Mergasor district of Erbil Governorate.

During the opening ceremony, the Prime Minister proudly announced that under the KRG's ninth cabinet, pastoral farming projects have experienced a significant 75% increase. Currently, there are 87 such projects in operation, consisting of 14,609 dairy cows spread throughout the Kurdistan Region.

Furthermore, PM Barzani highlighted the remarkable growth of the calf production project, which has expanded by an impressive 150%. The region now boasts 100 projects dedicated to the care and nurturing of 78,216 calves.

Spanning across an extensive 13,000 square meters of land, the technologically advanced Zom factory is equipped with 20 collection stations, facilitating the daily collection of milk. With a processing capacity of 50 tonnes, it produces various dairy products, including yogurt, cheese, ayran, milk, and kaymak.

Situated in Zhazhok village, Mergasor, the factory has generated employment opportunities for 300 individuals, benefiting over 2,000 families in the region.

The Zom factory holds the distinction of being the first among seven large dairy project factories to receive a permit from the KRG's ninth cabinet. Once fully operational, these projects will fulfill the local demand for dairy products, significantly strengthening the economic infrastructure and livelihoods of farmers and animal owners in the Kurdistan Region.

Department of Media and Information