June 5, 2024

 

Philippines to import dairy herds to boost milk production

The Philippines' Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Dairy Authority (NDA) announced plans to import dairy herds to enhance milk production in the country, Philippine News Agency reported.

 

DA Undersecretary for Livestock Deogracias Victor Savellano emphasised the need for "good genetics" to achieve a 5% increase in milk sufficiency, aiming for an additional 40 million litres by 2025.

 

Savellano said the Philippines imports 99% of its milk, but they also aim to import cattle and carabaos to increase local production.

 

Presently, the Philippines produces only 30,000 metric tonnes (MT) of milk, significantly below the national demand of 3.3 million MT.

 

NDA officer-in-charge Administrator Gavino Alfredo Benitez stated that to reach the 5% target increase, approximately 5,000 to 8,000 dairy herds need to be imported between 2025 and 2026.

 

Benitez said the imports should come from foot-and-mouth disease (FMD)-free countries. They could import from the US, but the shipping costs are high. He said the nearest options are New Zealand and Australia.

 

The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc (PCAFI) supported the importation plan, along with the genetic improvement of native herds to convert them into dairy producers.

 

PCAFI president Danilo Fausto said imports are necessary to expedite herd buildup, but they also need to allocate more budget for genetic improvement.

 

Fausto noted that these goals are achievable only with the approval of the NDA's tier 2 budget, as the country's total production is 30,000 MT, but to reach 80 million litres, they need more dairy herds.

 

Both the NDA and DA advocate for increased budget allocation to support importation and other programs, especially in light of the El Nino phenomenon's impact.

 

Benitez said they were granted PHP 500 million (US$8.5 million) by the Department of Budget and Management, and are seeking an additional PHP 2.5 billion (US$42 million) for the tier 2 budget, totalling about PHP 3 billion (US$51 billion) for next year.

 

Despite the budget uncertainties, Benitez expressed confidence in meeting the 80 million litres target by 2028.

 

The NDA is also considering the creation of regional feed centres, provision of water pumps, storage, and tanks. Additionally, plans include implementing a sex semen program, developing stock farms, and enhancing the environment for the DA's initiatives.

 

-      Philippine News Agency