Daily Tribune‘We at the BoI are excited about the introduction of advanced dairy farming technology, which promises to deliver superior quality and production efficiency while significantly boosting local dairy and plant-based beverage production’
Photo Courtesy of BOI
The P2 billion worth of investment of the Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Dairy Farms Inc. (MPDF) for the development of a state-of-the-art integrated dairy farm and processing facility in Laguna received Board of Investments (BoI) approval for incentives.
The MPDF is set to operate by March next year to produce dairy products and plant-based beverages.
The project will utilize advanced dairy farming principles, techniques and technology based on the “Israeli” model, incorporating artificial intelligence and modern equipment to optimize production efficiency and quality.
“We at the BoI are excited about the introduction of advanced dairy farming technology, which promises to deliver superior quality and production efficiency while significantly boosting local dairy and plant-based beverage production,” BoI managing head and Trade Undersecretary Ceferino Rodolfo said.
Rodolfo maintained the knowhow is a crucial stride towards enhancing food security and reducing our dependence on imported milk.
“Achieving greater self-sufficiency in our dairy supply likewise ensures that Filipino consumers have access to fresh, high-quality local products,” he added.
Total milk and milk products imported by the country last year stood at 575,460 metric tons or P76. 29 billion in terms of value.
On the other hand, the National Dairy Authority said the country imports 99 percent of its dairy consumption, with local production meeting only 0.98 percent of the total demand of 2.93 billion liters.
Multi-million liters a year
With an initial cost of more than P2 billion, MPDF’s facility will house a thousand cows to produce 6.5 million liters of raw milk annually.
The project aims to address the gap in our local dairy production capacity while also catering to the rising interest in plant-based dairy alternatives.
The Philippines’ dairy supply in 2023 was characterized by decreasing local milk production and a reliance on imports.
Further, based on the Rapid Industry Appraisal of the Philippine Plant-Based Foods Industry commissioned by the BOI, local production capacity for plant-based milk is estimated at 24.4 million liters.
MPDF’s project is expected to boost this capacity by 12 percent, reaching 27.4 million liters per year and enabling the local supply to meet 95 percent of the forecasted demand of 28.8 million liters by 2025.
