Best practices being introduced in dairy sector
LAHORE:
Pakistan can bring about a revolution in rural areas by introducing best practices in the dairy sector, thereby augmenting milk production and increasing livelihood opportunities for people. This was asserted by Mian Mazhar Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pakistan Dairy Development Company (PDDC) while talking to agricultural journalists here on Tuesday.
He said that Pakistan was the fourth largest milk producer in the world, last year the country recorded an output of about 45 billion litres. However, he also pointed out that the quality of milk produced is not up to mark due to a host of different reasons. Of the total quantity, only 36.2 billion litres were available for consumption last year.
There is a dire need of establishing a chain of cooling tanks across the country. Since milk is a perishable commodity, it needs immediate cooling and storage after production.
The CEO stressed that PDDC was working to enhance the shelf life of milk by setting up the much required cool tanks. The basic objective of this programme is to improve milk collection systems by strengthening the cold supply chain to ensure quality milk for consumers. So far, Pakistan Dairy has helped install 1,204 cooling tanks. Eventually, the body hopes to link milk producers with the market and formalise the dairy sector.
Poverty reduction
“Dairy Pakistan’s activities help promote and develop the dairy sector as the primary vehicle for poverty alleviation, increasing employment and income levels of small and medium sized farmers, especially women dairy farmers of remote rural areas,” elaborated Ahmad.
He said as many as 55 million people are directly dependent on livestock for their livelihood with women playing a key role in livestock management.
“Basically it is a poverty alleviation programme with focus on small and medium scale dairy farms,” he added. The CEO explained that recognised dairy farm management practices are being introduced to make such farms profitable.
He admitted that there were regional disparities in the workings of Pakistan dairy but vowed to eliminate these and provide technical assistance to farmers living in far flung rural areas of the country.
Scarcity of funds has been a cause of concern for the company. He disclosed that the PDDC could only get Rs 500 million against an allocation of Rs 1.5 billion so far. Despite this, best dairy practices of leading dairy countries are being disseminated among farmers, although at relatively small level.
“Management supervision and advice by Dairy Pakistan continues for three years with regular monthly visits and monitoring of farms performances,” he said. He maintained that the company is also introducing cost effective ways to install essential infrastructure for the proper management of dairy herds and establish a network of trained dairy professionals to expand modern dairy technology across the country. The PDDC chief said his company was also working on development of dairy policy with the help of other concerned departments.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 11th, 2010.
Pakistan can bring about a revolution in rural areas by introducing best practices in the dairy sector, thereby augmenting milk production and increasing livelihood opportunities for people. This was asserted by Mian Mazhar Ahmad, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Pakistan Dairy Development Company (PDDC) while talking to agricultural journalists here on Tuesday.
He said that Pakistan was the fourth largest milk producer in the world, last year the country recorded an output of about 45 billion litres. However, he also pointed out that the quality of milk produced is not up to mark due to a host of different reasons. Of the total quantity, only 36.2 billion litres were available for consumption last year.
There is a dire need of establishing a chain of cooling tanks across the country. Since milk is a perishable commodity, it needs immediate cooling and storage after production.
The CEO stressed that PDDC was working to enhance the shelf life of milk by setting up the much required cool tanks. The basic objective of this programme is to improve milk collection systems by strengthening the cold supply chain to ensure quality milk for consumers. So far, Pakistan Dairy has helped install 1,204 cooling tanks. Eventually, the body hopes to link milk producers with the market and formalise the dairy sector.
Poverty reduction
“Dairy Pakistan’s activities help promote and develop the dairy sector as the primary vehicle for poverty alleviation, increasing employment and income levels of small and medium sized farmers, especially women dairy farmers of remote rural areas,” elaborated Ahmad.
He said as many as 55 million people are directly dependent on livestock for their livelihood with women playing a key role in livestock management.
“Basically it is a poverty alleviation programme with focus on small and medium scale dairy farms,” he added. The CEO explained that recognised dairy farm management practices are being introduced to make such farms profitable.
He admitted that there were regional disparities in the workings of Pakistan dairy but vowed to eliminate these and provide technical assistance to farmers living in far flung rural areas of the country.
Scarcity of funds has been a cause of concern for the company. He disclosed that the PDDC could only get Rs 500 million against an allocation of Rs 1.5 billion so far. Despite this, best dairy practices of leading dairy countries are being disseminated among farmers, although at relatively small level.
“Management supervision and advice by Dairy Pakistan continues for three years with regular monthly visits and monitoring of farms performances,” he said. He maintained that the company is also introducing cost effective ways to install essential infrastructure for the proper management of dairy herds and establish a network of trained dairy professionals to expand modern dairy technology across the country. The PDDC chief said his company was also working on development of dairy policy with the help of other concerned departments.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 11th, 2010.