Raise Income, Fight Malnutrition: Farmers encouraged to produce goat milk

Cebu first district Rep. Eduardo Gullas encourages small-time farmers to raise goats and produce milk from them to not only help eradicate malnutrition but to augment income as well from this viable endeavor.

This was what he said yesterday in his speech before the members of the Cebu Integrated Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative and other participants of the skills training seminar on goat milk processing at the People's Hall of the Talisay City Hall.

The project, initiated by the CIFMPC, aims to help improve knowledge on how to best produce goat's milk as this has become in demand these days.

Davao has already showed strength in its goat dairy industry and Gullas challenged the goat farmers to replicate success here.

But he also asked that this produce be marketed locally. As of today, the biggest chunk of milk products, he said, is exported to different parts of the globe, and that only about five percent is up for Filipino consumption. Gullas said that if he only has his way he would want this produce to be distributed first to the markets to satisfy the needs of the country, most especially in areas where malnutrition is prevalent. This practice would also halt the importation of milk that becomes very expensive to the marginalized sector when already in the local market.

He pointed out that milk produced abroad has the same nutritional value as that of the milk locally made.

Meanwhile, Art Maribuco of the Department of Agriculture's Regional Information Network said goat milk has more nutrients than that of cows. However, he suggested that to achieve this, farmers should raise goats with good breed. He said that cross breeding between Anglonovian and native goats reproduces a kind of breed that produces good quality milk.

He added that this breed does not only produce more milk but also leaner meat.

Aside from household consumption, goat's milk is also used in cosmetic products, thereby increasing the demands of the said dairy product. - Liv G. Campo