"Netherlands can provide Pakistan every kind of support, from the management of dairy farm to training of farmers and handling of cows, in order to ensure that Pakistan joins the group of countries which have transformed and modernised their dairy industry and are getting the desired milk production," said Anne Terpstra, Dutch dairy expert with over 35 years of experience in practical training, while talking to Business Recorder here the other day.
He said Pakistan's fast expanding dairy sector offers exciting opportunities for trade, co-operation and development between Pakistan and the Netherlands. Following the resumption of cattle trade with Pakistan, the Dutch government and its private sector will be delighted to share their diverse knowledge in agro-food technology with Pakistan.
"Pakistan has a very impressive dairy production which can yet be augmented to its real potential. Pakistan can for sure increase its milk production to 6,000 to 8,000 litres per animal per annum from the current level of about 2,000 litres by utilising the true potential of the Dutch cows," Anne added.
He further said with such high-yielding animals, and provided Pakistani government and the dairy industry invest more money in dairy sector in general and farmers' training in particular, there is no doubt in my mind that there will be a big increase in productivity of country's livestock sector in the very near future. Anne Terpstra, who has already been to Pakistan several times in last two years to conduct various training programmes related to dairy farm management said that the Dutch can provide all the required techniques and expertise to realise the full genetic potential of the world class Dutch Holstein Friesian cows. Moreover, Anne said, the Netherlands also provides best support services, capital goods and management skills to fulfil the requirements for using complete genetic potential of these cows, tremendously raising the potential profitability of dairy farming in Pakistan.
He informed that the Netherlands exports 30,000-35,000 animals every year and the global demand for the Dutch animals is still on the rise. But, he said, the Netherlands has plenty of animals to provide to the world, including Pakistan. To a question, he said that the Dutch animals have been free from all major diseases for a long period of time and the Dutch have the world's best system in place to guarantee the health of each and every animal.
Stressing the need for farm managers' training, he said that a dairy farmer's job is a very complicated and undoubtedly one of the world's most difficult jobs, saying that farm manager, especially the one who is closely handling the cows, must have the skills to communicate with animal itself and analyse its needs. "If the farm manager is not trained, he will never be able to pinpoint the problem and thus take the right decision at the right time, which certainly affect the productivity and in turn profitability of the farm," he mentioned.
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