Dairy is one of the expanding industrial sectors in Pakistan with currently about 23 units engaged in the production of various dairy products. However, presently almost all the dairy units are working below their capacities. Besides milk, milk powder and butter are also used in different dairy products. Not only as a product, it is also useful to cure various diseases.
There is great potential in Pakistani to produce milk and leather, which is in demand world-wide. Milk, as per requirement, is received from contractors and self-collection centres and also from former form through chiller plant vehicle.
According to the Economic Survey 2008-2009 the total production of milk was about 34.064 million tones in Pakistan. Punjab with a share of about 80 percent leads other provinces in milk production. Out of the total production of 135 million litres of milk per day, about 50 percent is consumed at source in the countryside, while the remaining 60 percent is traded in the urban centers.
Most of the traded milk is marketed un-processed and currently only 4 percent of the traded milk is processed by the dairy industry in Pakistan. The growth of processed milk should increase up to 10 percent as soon as possible. Not only through private channels, multi national companies shouls also be introduced in this.
Even the government should utilise part of the budget to built the government dairy plants. Thorough this unemployment will decrease especially 1200 veterinarian are jobless they will be engaged and with this income will generate for the betterment of the nation.
The shortage of the milk is mostly faced in the summer season; reason is its spoilage 30 percent milk spoil before reaching the consumers and due to shortage fluctuation in rates appears.
In the plant processed liquid milk in the form of pasteurised milk, sterilised milk or ultra heat treated (UHT) milk is the main dairy product in Pakistan, while other products include dry powdered milk, cream, butter, butter oil, yoghurt, cheese and ice cream, etc. If, food quality controlling (FQC) authorities consider to improve more quality of the dairy products there is no doubt we can generate exporting income through UHT treated milk and milk products.