Malaysia targets over 1 bln liters milk production annually

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb. 2 (Chinese media) -- Malaysia aims to raise the milk production under the feedlot concept to 1.1 billion liters yearly to reduce its import dependency, Agriculture and Agro-Based Industry Minister Mustapa Mohamed said in Pasir Puteh, northern Kelantan state on Monday.

The country currently produced 51 million liters of milk yearly or 4.6 percent of the national consumption, Mustapa said after visiting the Sungai Durian Feedlot Husbandry project.

Efforts to increase the production and reduce the dependency on import is hampered by lack of interest from cattle breeders, he said.

This was further compounded by the tropical weather which was deemed not conducive for high yield milk production, he said.

The ministry had sought the help of Dutch Lady, a world leader in dairy business, to help nurture feedlot breeders, Mustapa said.

"The company has agreed to share its technology and expertise in developing local feedlot entrepreneurs," he said, adding that he hoped the younger generation would go into the lucrative sector.

The price of milk has gone up from 1.50 ringgit (0.42 U.S. dollars) per liter to 2 ringgit (0.56 U.S. dollars) per liter while processed milk fetches 5 ringgit (1.39 U.S. dollars) per liter, he added.