The volume of dairy products imported to the Philippines grew by almost a quarter in the nine months ending September despite an increase in local milk production.
The National Dairy Authority (NDA) said in a report that dairy imports totaled 2.8 billion liters as of end-September, an increment of 24.7 percent from 2.2 billion in the same period a year earlier.
READ: PH dairy imports seen rising 14% in 2024
The figure is 100 million liters away from 2023’s dairy import volume of 2.9 billion liters.
In terms of value, dairy shipments bound for the archipelago rose by 3.5 percent to P61.09 billion from P59.02 billion.
Of the products brought in, skim milk accounted for 1.1 billion liters of the total, an increase of 25.57 percent.
Whey followed with 567.92 million liters and buttermilk or buttermilk powder with 329.72 million liters.
Exports decreased
The majority of imported milk products came from New Zealand and the United States with a share of 29.2 percent and 24.5 percent, respectively.
On the other hand, dairy exports decreased by 13.5 percent to 31 million liters from 35.84 million liters. It is valued at P1.4 billion.
Domestic production jumped by 11.9 percent to 23.64 million liters from 21.12 million liters during the period.
“This growth highlights improvements in domestic output; however, the country remains heavily reliant on imports, which constituted 99.1 percent of the total milk supply,” the NDA said.
The local output is valued at P1.3 billion, rising by 20.8 percent from P1.09 billion.
Meanwhile, the livestock inventory decreased by 1.5 percent to 9.05 million individuals as of September this year, yet the dairy animal inventory surged by 59.4 percent to 152,619 individuals.
Furthermore, the NDA also said the number of dairy entities it assisted increased by 25.8 percent to 1,355.
The NDA previously unveiled its strategic road map to increase the country’s milk sufficiency to 5 percent by 2028 from the current level of 1.5 percent as of June this year.
As part of its blueprint for the dairy industry, the NDA is building stock farms in General Tinio in Nueva Ecija, Ubay in Bohol, Malaybalay in Bukidnon, Carmen in Cotabato and Prosperidad in Agusan del Sur.
It is also studying the development of the sixth stock farm in Roxas town in Palawan.
These farms will accommodate imported cattle to increase the existing herd of nearly 80,000, with the offspring being given to dairy farmers. Each farm could accommodate up to 150 cattle heads.