Needed - 10,000 dairy cows to boost milk output

The government plans to boost national milk production by having 10,000 more dairy cows to meet the total need in the country.

Agriculture and Agro-based Industries Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said Malaysia produced 34 million litres of milk a year while the total consumption is 50 million litres a year.

"The balance of our milk needs are imported from Australia (92 percent), New Zealand (one percent) and numerous other nations (seven percent).

"We will be able to produce an additional 20 million litres of milk to achieve self-sufficiency with the move," he told reporters after visiting Syarikat Allied Dairy Sdn Bhd in Larkin, Johor Baru, today.

He said the programme to increase the dairy cow population was expected to start in about two years on a RM200 million allocation.

According to Ahmad Shabery, Malaysia had 20,000 to 30,000 dairy cattle and the number was not enough to meet the local demand for milk which goes up by five percent a year.

He said the government also introduced a 13-Dairy Cluster Entry Point Project in 2011 to boost milk production for full sufficiency.

He said three leader companies were appointed via the project under the agriculture National Key Economic Area, namely, Allied Dairy in Johor; Evergreen Livestock Sdn Bhd (Sabah) and ADMC Dairy Farm Sdn Bhd in Kedah.

"Under the programme, cluster dairy farmers of the leader companies receive various aid such as dairy cows, milk tanks and solar hot water heaters. The milk produced will be bought by the leader companies for processing," he said.

Ahmad Shabery said RM957.35 million worth of milk and milk products were exported in 2013 while milk and milk product imports were valued at RM3.27 billion.

- Bernama