The Sodrugestvo plant in the Amur region purchased the first batch of soybeans and is preparing to launch

BLAGOVESHCHENSK, September 17 – RIA Novosti. The largest oilseed processing plant in the Far East of the Sodruzhestvo group of companies in Belogorsk, Amur Region, acquired a batch of soybeans from a new crop and is preparing to launch production, the regional government reported.

The production and logistics complex of the Sodrugestvo Group of Companies is currently undergoing the commissioning stage, the government clarified. The total investment in its construction amounted to about 38 billion rubles. The site has created production facilities, energy and engineering infrastructure, a bulk cargo terminal and its own railway junction.

“This plant is the largest and most modern in the Far East. It will process 1 million tons of oilseeds per year. Most of the Amur soybeans will be processed at this plant. The company has already begun purchasing soybeans - 25 thousand tons have been purchased,” the government of the Amur region quotes Vasily Orlov as saying.

The head of the region noted that the recruitment of specialists has begun: of the 600 required employees, 360 have already started work. The regional government helped the company with housing - 70 apartments were provided under the rental housing program, and it is also planned to build a house for workers and their families. He noted that the company is involved in the social development of Belogorsk, including supporting sports.

“Upon completion of commissioning work, we will supply raw materials. The raw materials are already from the current year’s harvest. The planned date for their arrival is the end of November. The plant has a very high level of automation. The work will be around the clock - four shifts, with only eight people serving the production directly per shift,” Pavel Zarkov, director for development, investments and external relations of Management Company Sodrugestvo LLC, is quoted in the message.

The enterprise will produce vegetable oils and soybean meal for animal feed, the government specified. In the future, it is planned to expand the line of highly processed products, including soy protein isolate and lecithin. The main part of the meal will go to the Russian market, oils and other products will go to Russian consumers and for export to China and the countries of Southeast Asia.

The report notes that an important part of the project was its own transport infrastructure. An industrial railway station with an estimated freight turnover of up to 1.5 million tons per year was built, the length of the tracks is about 10 kilometers.