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The modern liquid milk production line is running in an orderly manner.
At 8 o'clock on December 27, 2023, the sky in the ancient city of Kashgar was still dark. Three kilometers away, the liquid milk workshop of Nanda New Agriculture Co., Ltd. is brightly lit, and rows of "Nanda" school milk on a conveyor belt are transported to the packaging workshop to be delivered to more than a dozen schools in Kashgar.
Xinjiang's grassland area ranks second in the country, and the breeding pasture area is vast, far away from industrial pollution, with sufficient sunlight, large temperature difference between day and night, and abundant water sources, which is conducive to the growth of high-quality forage grass and provides a foundation for the development of the dairy industry.
Looking at the 14 fully automated production lines, Lin Xu, vice president of Nanda New Agriculture Co., Ltd., talked about the difficulties they had when starting a business.
Uyghur employees pack boxes of ambient milk products.
At that time, when they visited the local dairy, they found that the production line was fueled by coal. "Not only are the workers covered in soot, but the temperature control is also difficult. Lin Xu said.
Controlling temperature is key in dairy production. Raw milk is the best "petri dish" for microorganisms. In order to produce qualified milk at room temperature, it is necessary to sterilize the milk source, heat the milk to 65 degrees Celsius for 30 seconds, and then cool it for storage. In order to achieve a sterile state, acid and alkali need to be heated to 80 degrees Celsius respectively to complete the CIP cleaning and disinfection of the pipeline. Finally, the ambient milk should be sterilized at 137 degrees Celsius...... These must be guaranteed by a stable heat source.
"The gas boiler is not only easy to start and stop and heat up quickly, but also can be automatically controlled by adjusting the valve. The difference between coal and gas is as big as that between a conventionally powered aircraft carrier and a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Lin Xu sighed.
In the constant temperature baking workshop, workers are making special naan products.
In 2009, with the footsteps of gasification in southern Xinjiang, the Tarim Oilfield supplied pipeline natural gas or compressed natural gas to 25 counties and cities in the five prefectures of southern Xinjiang with better conditions, enabling many counties and cities in Kashgar to realize the popularization of natural gas. In the same year, when the liquid milk production line of Nanda Dairy Processing Park was put into operation, Nanda New Agriculture Co., Ltd. did not hesitate to choose a gas boiler. With a clean and stable energy supply, coupled with advanced intelligent equipment, boilermakers who used to be covered with coal ash can now "work in suits".
The safe and stable supply of natural gas not only improves production efficiency, but also provides full confidence for the development of enterprises. Nanda New Agriculture Co., Ltd. invested in the establishment of Kashgar Maifudun Food Co., Ltd. and began to develop the "naan industry".
The company actively explores sales channels such as live streaming and promotes special products.
It also depends on natural gas. The following year, natural gas flowed into the newly built bakery. In the constant temperature workshop at 25 degrees Celsius, batches of spicy skin naan, chickpea naan and other special products are freshly baked, and the taste is crispy and soft. From the popularity of local supermarkets in Kashgar to the sale of small naan cakes to Pakistan, it has been well received by consumers at home and abroad.
"Today, our plant consumes 100,000 cubic meters of gas per month, an increase of about 40 percent compared to more than a decade ago, and the company's total output is three times that of 15 years ago. Lin Xu said. Behind the figures, it reflects the rapid changes of Nanda New Agriculture Co., Ltd., showing the solid power of natural gas to promote the development of enterprises in southern Xinjiang.
With the extension and radiation of the natural gas project in southern Xinjiang, in recent years, the natural gas pipeline network has led to factories and parks, forming a natural gas industry cluster around the Tarim Basin, driving the development and growth of more than 1,100 enterprises in local gas management, logistics and freight, and food deep processing, absorbing hundreds of thousands of people of all ethnic groups to work, the economy along the line is getting better and better, and the people's money bags are getting more and more bulging.
"Next, we plan to rely on the existing agricultural and animal husbandry resources and facilities, integrate into the new business format of 'research', build a research base, let more young people enter our pasture, and absorb more farmers and herdsmen for employment. Lin Xu is full of confidence in the company's future development.
This article was originally published in the first edition of China Petroleum News on January 5, 2024, with the original title "The "Dependence" of Milk and Naan"
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Reporter: Xu Lindi
Correspondent: Wei Wanli
Image: Lu Dianjie
Editor: Xia Yuqing
Editor-in-charge: He Li
Review: Ma Yingying