MANILA, Philippines — The National Dairy Authority (NDA) has partnered with local governments of Agusan del Sur and La Union to put up dairy facilities worth P160 million to strengthen the country’s dairy sector.
The NDA recently signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the provincial government of Agusan del Sur for a 50-hectare nucleus dairy cattle farm at Sitio Taonaga in Brgy. Magsaysay in the municipality of Prosperidad.
In an email to The STAR, the NDA said the nucleus farm would have an estimated cost of nearly P140 million.
Under the MOA, the local government unit (LGU) will allow the NDA to use 50 hectares from the portion of its Prosperidad Stock farm in Sitio Taonaga, Brgy. Magsaysay, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur for 25 years, which is subject to renewal if agreed by the parties.
The nucleus dairy cattle farm aims to produce quality island born dairy animals which the NDA can use for future animal dispersals.
The NDA targets to complete and start operating the nucleus dairy cattle farm in March 2024.
“At the start of the operation, the NDA plans to place 100 heads of dairy animals and year after is expected to increase the herd by at least 30 percent excluding male calves,” it said.
Once it has produced enough island-born animals, the NDA targets to produce between 200,000 and 250,000 liters of milk annually from the farm.
Milk sales and proceeds from sale of male calves and other dairy animals will provide the agency additional income to augment its financial requirement for its operating expenses and other assistance to farmers.
The Prosperidad nucleus farm will also serve as a demo farm for potential dairy farmers to benchmark and replicate, as well as a venue for research projects that will greatly help the dairy industry, the NDA said.
Meanwhile, the agency signed another MOA with the provincial government of La Union to put up cattle dairy facilities for Sangbayan Agricultural Multi-Purpose Cooperative in Bangar municipality and Sta. Cecilia Producers Cooperative in the municipality of Aringay.
Under the deal, the LGU will spearhead the construction of the facilities and the NDA will provide the technical assistance and dairy expertise advice in the construction of the facilities to ensure cow comfort.
The Office of the Provincial Veterinarian and the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist has allocated P20 million to construct the cow shed, a maternity pen, and a milking parlor.
The NDA, on the other hand, will provide 20 heads for the Bangar facility and 30 heads for the Aringay farm.
The two farms are part of the seven state-of-the-art dairy cattle facilities in La Union that would serve as multiplier farms and dairy production, the NDA said.
These farms will also become tourism sites to promote their agri-tourism efforts in the province.
Earlier this year, the NDA said it is looking to spend over P850 million to construct five stock farms and import dairy herd animals to help boost the country’s milk production by six-fold in five years.
It is also eyeing to import 2,000 cows next year for these stock farms.
These are all part of its goal of increasing dairy production by 500 percent to 80 million liters annually over a five-year period.
It is also planning to increase the milking herd to 15,000 heads and produce 15 liters of milk per cow per day.
Currently, the daily average milk production per cow is only eight to 10 liters. Through better feed quality, the agency targets to improve this to 15 to 16 liters.