Vietnam’s dairy sector gets a boost from joint project

After five years of operation, the Vietnam-Belgium Dairy project has brought about a 42% increase in milk production and a 100% increase in the prices for dairy farmers within the region of the project area, said a source from the project.

“Rather than trying to increase the number of cows by providing loans to the farmers, we decided to help farmers get more milk out of each cow”.

Somers, chief technical advisor of the project, said the project aimed to create a good foundation for the industry by working with farmers how to improve their cows. The project covers Hanoi, Ha Tay, Ha Nam, Bac Ninh and Vinh Phuc provinces.

“Rather than trying to increase the number of cows by providing loans to the farmers, we decided to help farmers get more milk out of each cow,” Somers said.

Hoang Kim Giao, head of the Department of Livestock Production under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said farmers had benefited greatly from the projects in terms of better milk quality and higher productivity.

“With assistance from the Belgian Technical Cooperation between February 2005 and February 2010, the project has seen success in helping farmers improve the quality and quantity of milk and in selling milk at a price which is decided by its quality,” he said.

The 2.8 million euro joint dairy project between the governments of Vietnam and Belgium began in 2005 when dairy farmers in northern provinces complained of low profits.

Figures reported by farmers who participated in the project show innovative applications have increased average milk production by 42% per cow per day with income reaching VND48.7 million per year.

Somers told the Daily the project had helped dairy farmers to invest in technologies with appropriate costs to boost productivity and quality. The project also included a contract to buy all milk output from Vietnam Dairy Products Joint Stock Company (Vinamilk), the nation’s biggest dairy processing company.

“This helps link farmers with producers and ensures that all milk output will be consumed,” Somers said.

Somers also said that he and other specialists would continue after the project with an organization called Dairy Vietnam to provide safe milk from profitable farms for consumers.

“This is also a place connecting all relative elements in the dairy sector from farmers to processing companies and distributors, which helps grow the local dairy industry,” he said.

VietNamNet/SGT

Tags: Vietnam-Belgium Dairy project, Vietnam’s dairy sector