(Contributed file photo courtesy of DA)
|The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced Saturday that the Philippines and France have signed an agreement to enhance cooperation in the dairy industry. The aim is to boost local milk production and improve dairy farming practices.
The National Dairy Authority (NDA) and France-based Phylum SARL formalized their partnership through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a feasibility study on the Philippine Dairy Project. The French government’s Fonds d’Etudes et d’Aide au Secteur Privé (Study and Assistance Fund for the Private Sector) will fund this study.
According to the DA, the study will determine whether the project qualifies for a concessional loan from the French government. The initiative envisions establishing a modern dairy farm in Ubay, Bohol, which will house over 300 dairy cows and include a processing facility capable of handling up to 10 metric tons of raw milk daily.
The project also aims to strengthen partnerships with local milk and fodder production cooperatives while providing training and advisory services to improve dairy management. Additionally, it will support the development of milk collection centers and processing facilities in key locations across the country.
Currently, the Philippines’ milk sufficiency rate is only 1.66%, with domestic production struggling to meet demand. The NDA has set a target of increasing this figure to 5% —or approximately 80 million liters of locally produced milk—by 2028.
“The country’s average milk production per cow remains low at just eight liters per day due to challenges such as inadequate feed, high production costs, and a lack of proper dairy infrastructure,” the DA stated.
The agency emphasized that the NDA welcomes international collaborations and private-sector investments to accelerate the growth of the country’s dairy industry.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. signed the MOU on behalf of the NDA, while Phylum SARL managing partner François Gary represented the French firm. The signing occurred on January 22, marking a significant step toward sustainable dairy development in the Philippines.