December 15th was marked not only by the presentation of the Medal of Honor for Agriculture but also by the inauguration of the Racentro expansion—a 10 million euro investment. The event took place at the Racentro facilities in Monte Redondo and was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Development, Luís Capoulas dos Santos.

This investment will allow the company to grow by 50%, reaching a monthly production capacity of 60,000 tons. With a current turnover exceeding 130 million euros and more than 160 direct employees, Racentro produces over 480,000 tons per year.

During the event, Avelino Gaspar, President of the Lusiaves Group, emphasized that "by making this investment in Racentro, the Group is reinforcing the national leadership this company holds in the sector. It is the most advanced and automated manufacturing unit in this market, utilizing 4.0 technology. Our production process ensures the elimination of microbial load and real-time control of all traceability, providing the best food safety. Our products are at a level of excellence in terms of quality. This technology also allows for a reduction in energy consumption, a concern always present at the Lusiaves Group."

Racentro now performs individual grinding of raw materials, which allows for particle sizes to be adjusted to each of the various stages of the animals' productive life. It also innovates with the implementation of a heat treatment process, in which the feed is subjected to high temperatures to ensure the destruction of all pathogenic microorganisms.

Minister of Agriculture Luís Capoulas Santos stated that this investment "is unequivocal proof that the agri-food sector, in its broadest sense, is a sector that believes in the future, invests, and continues to show an enormous capacity to innovate, transform, and compete." He highlighted the fact that the Racentro investment "did not have public support" and is, therefore, "even more deserving of recognition by the Government."

With this investment, Racentro has committed to installing one of the largest corn dryers in the country, with a drying capacity of 1,200 tons per day. This commitment to domestic corn will reduce imports of this cereal. In 2017, green corn drying will account for 14% of the total corn consumed at Racentro, with this dryer being available to all Portuguese farmers.