February 7, 2024

Philippines aims to boost milk output to 80 million litres by 2028

The Department of Agriculture in the Philippines is ramping up milk production to 80 million litres by the year 2028, according to National Dairy Authority (NDA) Administrator Dr Gabriel Lagamayo, Philippine News Agency reported.

He highlighted this target as a fraction of the anticipated demand of 2.143 million metric tonnes by that timeframe.

Lagamayo said that achieving a 2.5-fold increase in milk output over the next five years necessitates significant efforts, including expanding the milking animal population, enhancing dairy productivity, enlarging distribution networks, building additional dairy-related infrastructure, and promoting the consumption of local milk and dairy products.

While awaiting the release of national milk production data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, recent figures from the NDA revealed that cattle production in 2023 reached 17,850 metric tonnes, representing around 0.8% of the total milk consumption of 1.937 million metric tonnes. This consumption figure reflects an increase of 1,372 metric tonnes compared to 2022.

The NDA anticipates a further uptick in milk consumption demand this year, projected to reach 1.978 million metric tonnes. The cattle herd also witnessed substantial growth, expanding by 45% to 75,798 in 2023 compared to 52,188 in 2018.

In a statement, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr underscored the significance of fostering the local dairy industry to combat malnutrition in rural areas, expressing full support for its advancement. Tiu-Laurel welcomed proposals to augment milk output and acknowledged that boosting the number of cattle in the milking line could significantly boost production.

-        Philippine News Agency