Increased productivity needed to cut cost of milk: The News

By Mansoor Ahmad

LAHORE: Pakistan obtains 33 million tonnes of milk from 20 million milking animals, compared with over 37 million tonnes obtained by China from 15 million animals and 84 million tonnes milk produced in the United States by 9.1 million cows.

Pakistan is the fourth largest producer of milk in the world after India, United States and China. The productivity of milking animals in Pakistan is, however, very low compared with the European, United States or Chinese breeds.

Dairy experts point out that both India and Pakistan are increasing their productivity by increasing the number of milking animals instead of increasing yield per animal. India produces 102 million tonnes of milk per year from over 75 million cows and buffaloes.

They said that the white revolution the government talks about would not come without increasing the milk yield of its livestock. Low milk yield increases the cost of production of milk. American farmers feed one cow to obtain the same quantity of milk that a Pakistani farmer obtains by feeding 4.5 buffaloes or cows.

They point out that even with low yields, the dairy sector has moved ahead on its own without much government support. This, they added, has made the planners complacent. They said that the dairy sector has the potential to take Pakistan out of its economic woes, if the planners pay more attention to increase the productivity of its milking breeds.

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