Farm visit to Nueva Ecija highlights knowledge exchange, advanced dairy practices, and long-term efforts to improve local milk productivity and farmer livelihoods.
The Philippines is taking another step toward strengthening its domestic dairy industry as ABI Pascual Foods Inc. and the National Dairy Authority (NDA) reinforce their collaboration to improve local milk production through international expertise and sustainable farming practices.
Representatives from ABI Pascual Foods, together with executives from Spanish dairy company Calidad Pascual, recently visited the NDA’s pilot dairy farm in Nueva Ecija to assess local dairy operations and identify practical strategies that can enhance farm productivity. The visit forms part of a broader partnership focused on transferring global best practices to support Filipino dairy farmers and increase the country’s milk output.
The initiative follows an earlier learning mission in Spain, where NDA officials observed advanced dairy farming systems used by Calidad Pascual. Insights gained during that visit are now being evaluated for adaptation to Philippine conditions, with emphasis on improving herd management, animal nutrition, and overall farm efficiency.
The Philippines currently produces only a small portion of its dairy requirements locally, with imported milk continuing to meet most of the country’s demand. To address this challenge, the NDA aims to raise the nation’s milk self-sufficiency rate from approximately 2% to 5% by 2028 through investments in productivity, herd expansion, and stronger collaboration with private sector partners.
One of the major priorities is improving milk yield per cow. While many dairy farms in the Philippines average around 10 liters of milk per cow each day, some farms in Nueva Ecija have demonstrated higher productivity of about 15 liters daily. In comparison, farms working with Calidad Pascual in Spain reportedly achieve average yields of approximately 38 liters per cow per day, highlighting the potential for significant productivity gains through improved management practices.
During the farm assessment, technical teams discussed opportunities to strengthen feeding programs, breeding strategies, herd health management, and daily farm operations. Nueva Ecija is expected to serve as a pilot location for implementing these improvements before they are introduced to additional NDA-supported dairy farms across the country.
The collaboration also includes plans for continued technical assistance, knowledge-sharing initiatives, and possible deployment of Spanish dairy specialists to train local farmers. These long-term capacity-building efforts are designed to help dairy producers adopt modern production techniques, improve operational efficiency, and sustainably increase milk production.
By combining international dairy expertise with local farming experience, ABI Pascual Foods and the National Dairy Authority aim to build a more resilient Philippine dairy sector that supports food security, reduces dependence on imports, and creates better economic opportunities for Filipino dairy farmers.