Deputy Minister of Agriculture Addresses Raw Milk Surplus by Coordinating School Milk Production

Bangkok: The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture is taking swift action to address the surplus of raw milk in the market by collaborating with the Agricultural Cooperative Federation of Thailand, Thai Milk Company, and Nong Pho Dairy Cooperative. The initiative involves purchasing the excess milk and processing it into milk cartons for distribution to students as part of the school milk project. The primary reason for the surplus is advancements in dairy farming technology, leading to increased milk production per cow. According to Thai News Agency, Mr. Prayoon Insakul, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, disclosed that recent inspections revealed an overflow of raw milk in the market, with an average surplus of 30-40 tons per day originating from over 10 dairy cooperatives nationwide. To tackle this issue, the Ministry has coordinated with the Dairy Farming Promotion Organization of Thailand (DPO), Thai Milk Company, and Nongpho Dairy Cooperative to purcha se the surplus milk. This milk will be processed into cartons and delivered to the school milk project in time for the upcoming school term. The increase in raw milk volume is attributed to advancements in dairy farming technology. The Department of Livestock Development has advocated the use of fermented animal feed, such as corn silage, made from corn stalks and young corn cobs. Additionally, cows' health has been maintained with vaccines, preventing udder inflammation and resulting in healthier cows. This has boosted milk production from an average of 12-13 kilograms per cow per day to 15-16 kilograms. Moreover, collaboration between the Department of Livestock Development, Chulalongkorn University, and the private sector has led to the development of a cattle breed that can be milked within six months of birth, as opposed to the previous 12 months. This has resulted in a continuous increase in total milk production in the system. Mr. Prayoon stressed that the Ministry of Agriculture is actively working to alleviate the impact on dairy farmers, particularly during the Songkran festival. Efforts are underway to process the excess milk into boxed milk for inclusion in the school milk project as soon as the school term resumes.