October 21, 2003

Vietnam's Tien Giang Forks Out $3.8 M to Increase Dairy Cows Tenfold by 2010

Vietnam's Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang is implementing a project to develop local dairy cows from now till 2010, total investment capital estimated to be around VND60 billion ($3.8 million), according to the local Service of Agriculture and Rural Development.

The project is to raise 2,073 dairy cows by 2005 and 5,340 by 2010 from the current 473, and increase the milk capacity to as much as 4,800 kilos per dairy per milking cycle during the period.

The province will build a system to manage milk quality to increase the capacity to meet local demand. Adoption of specific policies will also be made to encourage local farmers and transfer modern technologies.

27 communes have been selected to take part in the project.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) plans to invest VND5.8 trillion ($377 million) in raising 100,000 and 200,000 dairy cows in 2005 and 2010, respectively.