Government interventions up milk output to record 43.3-M liters

GOVERNMENT interventions in the dairy sector caused milk output to rise to a record 43.3 million liters in 2025 or by 12.17 percent from 38.6 million liters  in 2024. The value of dairy production hit P1.67 billion that year.

Administrator Marcus Antonius Andaya of the National Dairy Authority (NDA) attributed the growth in milk output to the effectiveness of the dairy development programs, particularly in animal nutrition, herd expansion, and farm management.”

“These gains were achieved without dairy animal importation for the past 3 years, highlighting improvements in productivity and herd performance at the farm level,” he added.

The agency noted that milk output from carabao jumped by 24 percent, citing continued contributions of the Philippine Carabao Center (PCC), including private carabao farms and non-cooperative member farmers.

Also, milk production from cattle and goats grew by 4 percent and 27 percent, respectively.

Overall dairy animal inventory expanded by 5 percent to 161,868 heads from 154,252 heads, which the NDA said further reinforced production gains.

“The increase in milk production translated into higher milk sufficiency at 2.22 percent, bringing the country nearly halfway toward the government’s target of 5 percent milk sufficiency by 2028,” Andaya added.

The NDA said the passage of Republic Act (RA) 12308 or the Animal Industry Development and Competitiveness Act further supports the dairy sector’s performance.

RA 12308, which earmarks P20 billion annually to the Animal Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (AnCEF), aims to strengthen livestock and dairy development by promoting competitiveness and streamlining animal health and breeding programs.

For 2026, the NDA expressed optimism about a further hike in milk production, with four stock farms set to be operational this year namely those in Ubay, Bohol; Malaybalay, Bukidnon; Carmen, Cotabato; and Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur.

The agency inaugurated and made operational the first stock farm in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija last year.

“With the operation of our stock farms and the planned importation of 870 dairy cattle this year, we are confident that these initiatives will further contribute to increased milk production,” Andaya said.