March 3, 2011

 

Pakistan becomes fourth largest milk producer

 

 

Pakistan is the fourth largest milk producing country with an annual production of 34 billion litres of milk.

 

This was said by Associate Professor Muhammad Akbar Arain, Department of Animal Product, the Agriculture University Faisalabad while talking to the media on Tuesday (Mar 1). He said the milk production capacity was increasing in the country with a ratio of 3% which was the highest in Asia.

 

He said a major milk producing animals were buffaloes contributing about 73% to a total milk production followed by cows at 24% and 4% by goat and sheep, respectively.

 

Pakistan is surplus in milk production but it is least commercial enterprise due to the lack of proper planning in collection, transportation and distribution chains, he said.

 

A major portion of the milk is wasted or consumed by the producers in far-flung areas, he said and added that the country imports 25,000 tonnes of dry powder milk annually.