Sen. Cynthia A. Villar has renewed her pitch to accelerate the growth of the dairy industry in the country
Villar said that the Philippines produces less than one percent of its total annual dairy requirement and imports the remaining 99 percent of local milk demand.
“We need to improve the country’s dairy production that would ultimately make an impact on reducing poverty and improving child nutrition in many rural households,” Villar said.
To do this, the chairperson of the Senate agriculture and food committee, said the government should help community-based dairy farmers by providing them with equipment and knowledge.
The senator has allocated budget to the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) and cooperatives for programs and initiatives to significantly improve and develop our milk production and the dairy industry.
In 2019, Villar identified 17 sites for dairy development nationwide with a P10-million budget each or a total of P170 million to bankroll projects to be implemented by the PCC.
The amount shall be disbursed as follows: – P3 million for 50 heads of dairy carabaos, P2 million for processing equipment, P2 million for processing building, P1 million for veterinary services, P1 million for medicines/biologics, and P1 million for miscellaneous to include one trike for milk pick- up.
“The partner-beneficiary who receives the dairy animal from PCC and they are taught to rear them, feed them and make them pregnant according to the prescribed dairy husbandry management standards,”said Villar.
“The emphasis on carabao is based on climate suitability and the huge number of animals on the ground that may potentially be upgraded to a dairy buffalo breed,” she added.
Under such partnerships, Villar noted that the cooperative or the local government as their counterpart provides land for a processing plant.
The Phil Coconut Authority (PCA) was also asked by Villar to provide buffaloes to coconut farmers to create another livelohood under the coconut tree.
The Nacionalista Party senator has likewise called on the support of the National Dairy Authority, which shall be given additional budget under Republic Act No. 11524, or the Coconut Farmers and Industry Fund Act.
“The law seeks to improve the lives of coconut farmers and maximize their farm yield. This can be a big help to the dairy sector,” said Villar.
In the national government’s bid to further improve the agricultural sector as response to the increasing concern over food insecurity, Villar’s dairy projects will further contribute this endeavor.
Villar also mentioned about the project establishing Carabao-Based Enterprise Development Centers all over the country.
This would raise one milking carabaos and selling the milk to the dairy processing center is a model that can provide an opportunity for the rural families to earn additional Php 300 a day or Php 9,000 a month.
Furthermore, Villar said milk production should go to school and community milk feeding programs.
