June 15, 2012

Chinese dairy group's head reassures local dairy's safety

At an industry forum, Song Kungang, director of the China Dairy Industry Association, has stated that his grandson drinks local milk in an attempt to promote the quality of local dairy products to consumers.

"The current situation of China-made dairy products, quality and safety of infant formula milk powder is the best in the country's history - consumers can buy" Song was quoted as saying.

Those remarks provoked controversy, leading Song to talk about his grandson's drinking habits to boost weak confidence in the scandal-tainted domestic dairy industry.

However, Song's "grandson" response seems to have been too weak and not enough to prove to the public the quality of domestic milk.

According to Wang Dingmian, dairy expert, "Foreign milk powder in the proportion of total sales of China's infant formula milk market has increased to 60-65%. Domestic brands are expected within the next 3-5 years to destabilise the status of foreign brands."

Moreover, Gao Hongbin, deputy minister of Agriculture, added that "Five major issues exist in China's dairy industry, concerning milk production, dairy processing, regulations, public opinion and consumers' psychological expectations."