Governor Maru Campos, together with representatives of Malteurop, announced a new project that will benefit farmers in the municipality of Meoqui and that will have an investment of USD$120 million. This project, which is committed to the growth of the central-southern area of the state, will employ up to 68 people since it will have a highly automated process to maximize the production of malt, an input destined to supply the Heineken plant established in that municipality. This will generate opportunities for local farmers since the company's objective is that most of its raw material comes from the state of Chihuahua. To this end, work has already begun with a technical representative to identify and develop barley producers in accordance with their quality standards and exclusive varieties. It is estimated that at maximum capacity this plant will require up to 35,000 hectares of barley production. The project highlights that this is a process where the barley goes through a stage of hydration and oxygenation so that the grain germinates and thus generates a greater amount of sugars and proteins for brewing. In addition, unused raw material and organic waste represent a great opportunity for livestock producers since they contain a high protein value for livestock feed, integrating perfectly with the economic vocation of the Meoqui, Delicias and Cuauhtémoc regions, as well as other entities in the northwest region such as Casas Grandes and Villa Ahumada. At the moment there is a 35 percent progress in the construction of the building and it is expected that this, like the equipment, will be delivered in January 2023 to start operations and tests in July 2024. The Malteurop company is an international supplier dedicated to the processing of barley to later transform it into malt to produce beer and whisky. The group has operations around the world with 24 production sites and employs more than 1,100 people worldwide. Source: Chihuahua State Government https://chihuahua.gob.mx/prensa/invertiran-120-mdd-en-meoqui-rinde-mision-comercial-de-maru-nuevos-frutos