Milk Quality and Animal Health Key For Exports
CHILE – Trade balance for dairy products is nearly 25 million pesos, resulting from exports of added value products.
17 April 2013
2 minute read
This figure includes sales of products such as yogurt, cream and infant milk formula. This, Luis Mayol, Minister for Agriculture, said was down to excellent quality and safety of milk in the country.
In his address to a collective of dairy farmers and industry figureheads, Mr Mayol praised recent export developments.
He added that technical support groups adding to resources as part of targeted research funding schemes are vital for the farmers and the wider industry.
Voicing support for the Dairy Consortium Odepa, Mr Mayol said that much information can come out of future research projects 2014 – 2016.
Implementing livestock insurance forms part of the extra stability the industry has seen in recent years. Furthermore, the publication of the Rustling Act is expected to tighten legislation on criminal movement of animals.
This will benefit farmers short term and long term as zoning and cattle movement restriction can be more effectively employed in a country where Tb is a perennial problem.
"We have taken on the challenge of incorporating a plan for control and eradication of bovine tuberculosis establishing mandatory monitoring of the disease and a range of health measures. This plan centres around joint participation of producers and processors in the industry through the use of the compartments as a health management tool,” revealed the Ministry of Agriculture in a statement.
Success is in sight for dairy farms, reported Mr Mayol. Around 20 per cent fewer farms currently have tuberculosis infections thanks to quarantine and eradication work.
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