Positive outlook for China's dairy industry

Thirty dairy farmers from the US, Europe, China and Oceania recently caught a glimpse of the changing face of the Chinese dairy industry as they  attended the Global Dairy Farmers (GDF) 2009 congress at sites across China.

 

Through the regional tours, congress speakers indicated a positive outlook for the Chinese dairy industry, which would filter through to other dairy markets, according to the GDF President, Bram Prins.

 

Prins said the Chinese would use animal protein instead of plant protein when they earn more money and the Chinese government believes milk is the cheapest way to produce animal protein as it actively promotes the dairy industry.

 

The GDF group inspected farms in China and Mongolia.

 

The highlights of the tour were the visits to dairy villages established to meet the demand for milk and milk products with some demonstration farms able to milk up to 10,000 cows.

 

Despite the setting up of villages which allow up to 400 people to pool their cows and milk at a central dairy, the GDF believed it would not be possible for China to produce enough milk to meet its needs, Prins added.

 

During the seven-day congress, the participants were shown a variety of farms, including one funded by a Californian investor that milks 20,000 cows and has plans to expand its inventory to 200,000 cows.

 

Prins said many Chinese and Mongolian dairy farms had benefitted from the assistance of international investors who overhauled their farming practices from family farms with a small number of cows to large dairy villages milking up to 1,000 cows.

 

The GDF is an international network of dairy farmers and associated business advisers that meets to discuss policy measures, legislation and market developments. Members use the Internet to discuss industry issues pertaining to their own interests, rather than topics that are related to their regions or their countries.

 

The group was established in Melbourne in 2006 with a limited membership of 75.