Government to import 5,000 heads of cattle

MANILA, Philippines — To boost the country’s local milk production, the National Dairy Authority (NDA) targets to import at least 5,000 cattle – a move that would allow the NDA to produce 80 million liters of milk by 2028.

Gavino Alfredo Benitez, NDA administrator-in-charge, said the agency needs at least P1 billion to import 5,000 heads.

But for 2025, the Department of Budget and Management only approved P420 million – an amount lower than this year’s P522-million NDA budget.

Benitez said the NDA is actually asking for P2.5 billion to support the targeted procurement. The extra amount will go for the setting up of laboratory facilities in its six regional offices.

“Our budget should be increased and definitely we will be attaining that by 2028, if not exceed. We are confident that with our budget now and as well as our plans in the coming years, I feel we have a good chance of attaining (the target),” Benitez added.

If the NDA is able to make the importation, it would result in a five-percent increase in milk production, or about 80 million liters, he explained.

In 2023, the country produced 22.87 million liters of milk, an increase compared to the 21.93 million liters of total production in 2022.

Dairy Confederation of the Philippines president Danilo Fausto said the country produces less than one percent of the country’s annual milk requirement.

Fausto added that the Philippines still imports 99 percent of its total consumption of 3.3 million metric tons.

“We are now consuming about 3.3 million metric tons. Of the 3.3 million metric tons, according to PSA (Philippine Statistics Authority), a year, our local production in the Philippines is only 30,000 metric tons, less than one percent. We are importing $1.6 billion (worth of milk),” he pointed out.

Fausto said that the dairy farmers are pushing for at least a P2.5 billion budget for 2025 to support the local milk production.

“We have 2.6 million cows in the country but only 27,000 (cows) are used for dairy. You need to increase genetics through artificial insemination to improve the number of dairy animals, including carabaos. We have 2.8 million carabaos and only 19,000 are dairy types,” he added.