Dairy herd growth boosts nat’l milk output

The country’s milk supply rose 11.4 percent in the second quarter of the year, with the National Dairy Authority (NDA) reporting higher herd numbers and stronger output from dairy farms nationwide.

The latest report from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that milk production reached 18.16 million liters in April to June, up from 16.30 million liters a year earlier. 

Of this, 14.72 million liters came from NDA-assisted and monitored areas, reflecting an 11.9 percent increase year-on-year.

Milk from dairy cattle accounted for 10.98 million liters or 60.4 percent of total production, followed by carabao’s milk at 2.64 million liters (14.5 percent) and goat’s milk at 2.14 million liters (11.8 percent). 

NDA-monitored output showed further gains, with cattle milk rising 11.7 percent and goat’s milk surging 47.5 percent.

The national dairy herd also expanded, reaching 166,411 heads as of June, up 16.4 percent from 154,252 a year earlier. The herd included 37,369 cattle, 89,907 carabaos, and 39,035 goats.

NDA Administrator Atty. Marcus Antonius T. Andaya said Thursday the sustained growth underscores the resilience of dairy farmers and the impact of government support.
“The steady growth in both milk output and dairy herd shows that our current programs are bearing fruit. By expanding the herd and improving productivity at the farm level, we are creating more opportunities for our dairy farmers and increasing the availability of fresh, local milk for Filipino families,” Andaya said.

He added that herd build-up efforts are being accelerated with the establishment of stock farms in Nueva Ecija, Bohol, Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, and Cotabato, with three more in the pipeline.
“Our current programs are already driving clear gains in herd growth and milk production. With five stock farms now established … we are confident that these facilities will further accelerate the increase in both herd population and local milk output in the years ahead,” he said.

As of mid-year, NDA’s programs cover 70 provinces, 463 municipalities, and 1,307 dairy entities, supporting 2,355 assisted and monitored farmers nationwide.