Phl, Thailand prepare dairy cooperation program

BANGKOK, Thailand – The Philippines and Thailand are hoping to engage in a dairy cooperation program that will hopefully allow the Philippines to achieve its goal of food security in dairy production.

National Dairy Authority (NDA) Administrator Grace J. Cenas said the cooperation would likely be limited to technical assistance and possible supply of dairy equipment as Thailand is still not certified free from the dreaded foot and mouth disease (FMD).

The Philippines just recently got its certification from the World Animal Health Organization or Organization Internationale de Epizooties (OIE) that it is completely free of FMD.

A Philippine delegation led by Agriculture Assistant Secretary Davinio Catbagan, Cenas and Bureau of Animal Industry Director Dr. Efren Nuestro is in Thailand upon the invitation of the Thai government to hold exploratory talks on a possible dairy cooperation progam.

Catbagan and Nuestro flew to Thailand right after their trip to Paris, France where they got the OIE FMD clearance certification.

The visit is an offshoot of the recent trip of President Aquino to Thailand.

Cenas had said that a proposed Dairy Roadmap from 2011 to 2016 will need an average funding of about P2.4 billion annually or a total of P15,375 billion over a six year period.

The proposed Dairy Roadmap is part of the Department of Agriculture’s overall food security plan, Cenas said.

The proposed Dairy Roadmap aims to improve the country’s milk sufficiency from the current 19 percent (market share) to 43 percent of the total liquid milk market and double local milk contribution from 26 percent to a 46 percent share of the total liquid milk supply.

The six-year industry program also aims to triple annual local milk production from 15 million liters to 45 million liters or from 43 tons to 131 tons of milk daily.

Genas said the Dairy Roadmap would generate sales of P1.57 billion and hopefully reduce foreign exchange expenditure of P1.06 billion for the current importation of milk and milk products mostly from New Zealand.

She said the Dairy Roadmap hopes to create up to 22,270 full-time jobs, using up to 9,000 hectares of grazing lands.

Furthermore, the Dairy Roadmap would ensure not only milk security, but also meat and food security, she added.

Cenas pointed out that for each male calf born and sold, that same family is assured of one to two kilograms of fresh meat supply.

The income derived from daily sales of milk can be used to buy other foods and household needs.