Silver Fern Farms Co-operative Ltd shareholders will receive a $34.5million special dividend on February 14 - the first dividend since 2008.
The dividend of 30c per share on all ordinary shares and rebate shares followed completion of the joint venture with Shanghai Maling in December.
In a statement, Silver Fern Farms Co-operative chairman Rob Hewett said the dividend would be welcomed by shareholders.
''Their support and patience as we have developed our Plate to Pasture value added strategy over the past seven years has been critical to Silver Fern Farms,'' he said.
Following distribution of the dividend and the redemption of supplier investment shares completed last week, the co-operative would have distributed a total of $40million to shareholders, he said.