By Jed Macapagal

LOCAL production of milk went up 3.8 percent in the first quarter of the year to 7.45 million liters from 7.18 million liters recorded in the same period last year, data from the National Dairy Authority (NDA) showed.

The agency attributed the improvement to higher volume of dairy animal herd in the Philippines. NDA said local milk production came from the dairy animal herd inventory of 151,269 heads as of first quarter, a 58.7 percent jump from 95,296 heads in the same period in 2023.

Of the first quarter 2024 inventory, dairy cattle registered 31,366 heads, contributing 64 percent of the total volume of milk produced. Dairy carabaos inventory reached 75,771 heads for 26 percent of the local milk production while goat inventory totaled to 37,538 heads for 10 percent of all milk produced in the country.

Despite the improvement, local production accounted only for 4.9 percent of the country’s net supply of milk which totaled to 765.05 million liters, down by 0.4 percent from first quarter 2023’s 768.12 million liters.

Bulk of the country’s milk and dairy products supply are from imports which reached 757.6 million liters in first quarter 2024, a 0.4 percent decline from first quarter 2023’s 760.94 million liters. Value plummeted 22.72 percent from total dairy import bill of $380.77 million to $294.26 million.

NDA’s data showed skim milk powder accounted for bulk of imports contributing 44 percent, followed by other milk powders at 34 percent and liquid milk, 4 percent.

New Zealand was the leading source of imported dairy products, accounting for 32.8 percent; followed by the US with 22.1 percent, Indonesia, 5.3 percent; Denmark, 4.8 percent and; Ireland,3.9 percent.

Despite being not self-sufficient in milk and dairy products, the country exported a total of 12.30 million liters in first quarter 2024, down by 3.9 percent from 12.80 million liters in first quarter 2023.