February 14, 2013
 
Philippine government, private sector collaborate to strengthen dairy industry
 

 

In order to sustain the Philippine dairy industry's strong growth, the government is partnering with the private sector in beefing up dairy herds.

 

In a statement, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said the National Dairy Authority (NDA) had been tasked to coordinate its programmes with dairy farmers' groups and the National Dairy Confederation (DairyCon) to support the local dairy industry and meet its liquid-milk requirement.

 

"The NDA, in partnership with dairy farmers' groups and DairyCon, will embark on sustaining dairy herd build-up through the intensified upgrading and preservation of local stock, augmented by the importation of dairy animals, embryos and equipment, and the establishment of more multiplier and grow-out farms," Alcala said.

 

According to him, these farms will be responsible for breeding, milk production and processing, including the rearing of male calves for fattening. This, Alcala said, will result in the establishment of sustainable dairy enterprises and the animal-trading industry.

 

The agriculture chief's statement came after the 16th National Dairy Congress and Exposition was held in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental province, on February 7. Five hundred farmers and industry stakeholders, as well as 40 exhibitors, attended the event.

 

NDA Administrator Grace Cenas said the country has 40,696 dairy animals that produced 18.45 million litres of milk in 2012, or 12% more than the year before.
 

Cenas said local milk production had been growing at an annual average of 7% in the last five years. She added, however, that this was still less than 1% of the country's total annual dairy requirement.

 

"Despite this, the future looks bright as the DA has increased the budget of the NDA to PHP262 million (US$6.4 million) this year, PHP90 million (US$2.2 million) more than in 2012," the NDA chief said.

 

"With this budget, the NDA will accelerate local dairy development, further increase fresh-milk production, provide dairy farmers with more income and livelihood, and supply Filipino consumers with quality fresh milk," she added.

 

On international cooperation, Cenas said the DA is finalising a dairy-development agreement with New Zealand. The Philippines regularly imports to New Zealand dairy cows and various milk products that amounted to more than US$290 million in 2011.

 

"We are finalising the terms of the project where we can share our support and expertise to upgrade the Philippines's milk production," New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Reuben Levermore said at the three-day congress.

 

The congress-spearheaded by the DA-NDA, DairyCon and the Negros Federation of Dairy Cooperatives-served as a venue for the country's dairy farmers and industry stakeholders to exchange ideas and forge partnerships.

 

The event also showcased the latest dairy technologies, as resource persons discussed various topics that included genetic improvement, herd build-up, reducing calf mortality, increasing cow-calf profitability, heifer management, disease prevention and control, forage and pasture development, dairy feeds and mineral supplementation, milk quality standards and collection system, market development, feed rations for ruminants, economics of goat production, health benefits and curative effects of goat's milk, and goat cheese production.