THE National Dairy Administration (NDA) said it plans to open five stock farms by April to help expand the dairy cattle herd.
Each of the stock farms will initially hold 50 head of dairy cattle, NDA administrator Marcos Antonius T. Andaya told reporters.
He said the NDA is awaiting the arrival of 600 head of cattle from Australia.
“The structures are nearing completion,” he said.
The five stock farm locations are General Tinio, Nueva Ecija; Ubay, Bohol; Malaybalay, Bukidnon; Carmen, Cotabato; and Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.
Mr. Andaya said the NDA is also studying sites in Isabela and Palawan.
The dairy herd rose 56% to 156,000 animals in 2024, including cattle, carabaos, and goats.
Mr. Andaya said the NDA will partner with the private sector to put up nucleus farms to develop dairy animals that can deal with the Philippine climate.
Dairy production increased 11.31% to 32.39 million liters last year, bringing the milk self-sufficiency ratio to 1.66% from 0.8% a year earlier.
Philippine dairy imports rose 19.99% to 3,495.88 million liters.
The NDA has a self-sufficiency target of 2.5% this year, rising to 5% by 2028. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza