PETpla.net Insider 01+02 / 2013

MATERIAL / RECYCLING 10 PET planet insider Vol. 14 No. 01+02/13 www.petpla.net Market prospects for dairy in PET The land of milk and honey PET bottles have generated increasing inter- est and a growing market share in all the new long life milk packaging projects in any part of the world. Novapet has developed a complete product range for this sector. Milk is one of the basic elements in human nutrition, providing many of the basic proteins, vitamins and min- erals for a healthy diet. From the view- point of the market and of the industry that serves it, milk is, in addition, one of the sectors with strongest growth prospects and is also one of the most dynamic sectors in innovation and the generation of new products. The Food and Agriculture Organization – FAO , in its report, Food Outlook , Global Market Analysis of Nov-2012, estimates that world milk production will grow by 3.0% and in 2012 will reach the figure of 760 million tons, after sustained growth, averaging 2.1% annually during the past decade, 2001-2010. It is estimated that Europe (EU27) will contribute 157.9 million tons (20.7%) to this figure continuing as the main world production area and one of the main exporters. The limits to production in this area ( Quota System within the Common Agricul- ture Policy - CAP), have been raised by 1% in recent years, in preparation for the abolition of this system in the European Union in 2015 (from 1 April, 2015). Within these figures, it is esti- mated that the production processed by the industry for consumption as liquid milk will rise to 34 million tons (almost 25%) for the same year 2012 in the European Union. The price indices ( FAO Interna- tional dairy products price index-2002- 2004 = 100 ) show signs of recovery during the final months of the fiscal year 2012 (173 in June-July and 194 in October) (see Fig.1).As a true reflection of the importance of this industry and its potential, it is enough to indicate that a good way to meas- ure the level of well-being and devel- opment of the economy in a country is the indicator of consumption of dairy Bottles produced with ‘Dairy’, Novapet’s PET material for long life milk bottles, proven and present in the market. Fig.1 Source: FAO Food Outlook Global Market Analysis, Nov-2012. Fig. 2 Source: FAO Food Outlook Global Market Analysis, Nov-2012. products per inhabitant, as can be seen in Fig.2. Types of milk and shelf-life Milk is a natural product which con- sists basically of water (87%) but also contains fats, vitamins, proteins and minerals. This special content and its low level of acidity ( neutral or low acid , pH > 4,5) creates a medium suitable for the growth of bacteria, which can lead to nutritional and taste degrada- tion. Because of this, the packaging of the milk and its subsequent treatment, must undergo a very strict bacteriologi- cal control from collection at the farm, through industrial treatment and pack- aging, to transport and final distribution at the point of sale. The type of packag- ing used is of fundamental importance in ensuring that the milk is preserved in optimal conditions throughout the entire processing chain. The period