Lithuanian dairy company sends trial products to Chinese market

VILNIUS - One of Lithuania's largest dairy producers has sent the first product delivery to China amid fresh efforts to enter the Chinese market, the company announced on Wednesday.

Rokiskio Suris, Lithuanian dairy group with annual sales of around 200 million euros ($212.7 million), has sent the first testing cargo of lactose to business partners in China.

"It was signed a contract for a few hundred tons of the product," the company said. Further cooperation will be negotiated when the partners receive the product and make trials of it at their own facilities, said Rokiskio suris.

It is one of the first attempts by Lithuanian dairy companies to enter the Chinese dairy market. In August, 16 Lithuanian dairy producers were granted permission by Chinese authorities to export their products to China.

Earlier this year, dairy producer Vilkyskiu pienine was the first to enter Chinese market by exporting around 20 tons of mozzarella cheese.

The Lithuanian dairy industry was hard hit by Russia's embargo on food imports from the European Union in 2014. Russia was one of the main export markets to Lithuanian dairy producers. Since then, Lithuania has been pursuing efforts to enter new markets.