LAHORE: The Punjab Food Authority (PFA) has stressed the need for developing a comprehensive plan to increase milk production, ensure safe transportation, bridge the gap between supply and demand and prevent adulteration.
According to the Food Authority, it is crucial to train farmers in modern dairy farming techniques to boost milk production. The point was raised at a meeting chaired by Director General Food Authority Asim Javed and attended by Additional DG Technical, Director Technical, officials from the Pakistan Dairy Association, and the Livestock Department.
The DG Food Authority said protecting livestock and introducing innovation in breeding practices is the need of the hour. Short- and long-term policies will be developed to enhance milk production, he added.
Consultations are underway to support farmers in line with international standards - this includes providing interest-free loans, breeding high-yielding animals, and establishing germ-free automatic dairy farms, stated Asim Javed and highlighted that today’s farmers are often untrained and face challenges such as meeting the nutritional needs of animals, providing appropriate fodder, and dealing with extreme weather conditions.
“Our aim is to improve both the quality and quantity of milk with limited resources,” said the DG.
Adulteration in milk is not done by farmers, but by the adulteration mafia driven by the greed for higher profits, emphasized Asim Javed. A complete plan will be developed to enable small-scale farmers to access markets directly, said the DG.
He said dairy development can play a backbone role in generating foreign exchange. Pakistan holds a significant position in global dairy farming. He assured that strict monitoring will be ensured from milk production to delivery, according to defined standards.
“All possible resources are being utilized to ensure the safe delivery of food and beverages to the public,” concluded the DG Food Authority.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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