Recent turbulence in Thailand’s Dairy industry might create raw milk shortages affecting domestic market demand as well as concerns over rising production costs
A meeting with agencies and representatives to discuss raw milk shortage concerns in Thailand was chaired on July 27 by Thailand’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Mananya Thaiset.
Wisit Srisuwan, Director-General of the Department of Cooperative Promotion, Veterinarian Praphas Pinyocheep, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Livestock Development, Somporn Srimuang, Director of the Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand (DPO) was at the forum to discuss the concerns.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives discussed the issue of raw milk shortages that negatively affected domestic market demand as well as concerns over rising production costs.
Minister Thaiset confirmed that there is still a continuous purchase of raw milk from the DPO and the private sector without any cessation of milk purchase. However, it was found that the total production of raw milk in the country is currently reduced to about 2,700 tons/day attributed to the seasonal changes. The amount of milk will increase at the end of the year when winter starts. Compared to last year when dairy farmers quit and turned to other occupations, there is a need for at least 3,100 tons/day. The need for use of dairy products has increased by about 400 tons compared to the same period last year, when some dairy farmers quit and pursued other careers. As a result, the number of dairy cows in the system decreased.
Currently, raw milk is highly demanded by entrepreneurs in the dairy industry. In this regard, she urged relevant agencies to consult with all sectors. To avoid affecting the amount of milk used in the supplementary food (milk) school project, which requires about 1,000 tons of milk per day. For Thai people to have food security (milk) in the future, more dairy cows must be encouraged and dairy farmers must be promoted to be Smart Farmers with more business-oriented dairy farming to meet market demands that continue to rise.
In addition, in the future, more dairy cows must be encouraged. and to accelerate the promotion of dairy farmers to become Smart Farmers, with more business-oriented dairy farming to meet market demands that tend to increase continuously As well as to provide food security (milk) for Thai people.
During the discussions at the meeting, it was found that The number of dairy farmers declined due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic and the situation of higher feed prices in the world market. Including the dairy farming style of small farmers in Thailand who raise a variety of cows on their own farms, including lactating cows, non-lactating cows, young cows, heifers, non-mixed cows, known as free-feeding cows. which is an additional cost that farmers have to bear resulting in decreased farm income.
