February 24, 2010

China's dairy industry going Australian

The recent melamine scare has reportedly prompted China's dairy industry to poach some of Australia's most skilled dairy workers in an effort to beef up product safety and quality.

Eager to regain public confidence after a series of food safety scandals, the Chinese dairy industry reportedly wants to recruit Australian dairy experts.

The head of one of China's biggest dairy consultancies, Su Hao, has told the Australian Dairy Conference in Wollongong that Australian skills are now a top priority for the Chinese government and dairy investors. He said management skills and on-farm experience are wanted to help clean up China's damaged reputation.

The Chinese industry was decimated after melamine tainted milk formula killed 20 babies and made hundreds of thousands of infants sick. Just when the industry begun to get back to its feet, another melamine scandal broke out, threatening to destroy the rebuilding efforts.

Su Hao says China's government now wants more intensive regulated dairies to improve food safety, and Australian and New Zealand expertise will now be targeted.