In 2014, national milk production reached 37.25 million tons, up 5.5% year on year

In 2014, national milk production reached 37.25 million tons, up 5.5% year on year, close to the historical high of 37.44 million tons in 2012.

This was learned by the reporter at the “6th China Dairy Conference and China Dairy Expo” held on May 31.

According to the introduction, as of the end of 2014, the national dairy cow herd stood at 14.6 million head, up 1.3% year on year, reaching a historical high; milk production was 37.25 million tons, up 5.5% year on year, close to the historical high of 37.44 million tons in 2012; the average milk yield of Holstein cattle and their improved cattle, which account for more than 80% of China's dairy cows, reached 6 tons, an increase of 500 kg, and dairy cows yielding more than 9 tons reached 1.3 million head; the share of scaled farming with herds of more than 100 head reached 45%, an increase of 3.9 percentage points; large-scale cattle farms and communities achieved 100% mechanized milking, with the overall level exceeding 90%. In 2014, the state invested in the renovation and expansion of 1,000 dairy cattle farms, supported breeding enterprises in importing 190,000 head of improved dairy cattle, and further expanded high-quality milk source bases. A total of 1.5 million mu of high-yield and high-quality alfalfa production bases were built nationwide, forming a commercial alfalfa production capacity of 1 million tons.

In this regard, Vice Minister of Agriculture Yu Kangzhen stated that China's dairy industry is currently at a critical stage of transformation and upgrading; at present and for some time to come, the development of the dairy industry faces both the challenge of competition in foreign markets and the major task of adjusting structure, transforming the development model, and continuously improving industrial quality and competitiveness. We must follow the approach of “stabilizing production and increasing income while adjusting structure, improving quality and efficiency while transforming the model, and strictly supervising to ensure safety,” grasping both dairy production development and quality supervision, promoting the transformation and upgrading of the dairy industry, and accelerating the building of a modern dairy industry.

“Overall, China's dairy industry is currently developing well. Although it faces some problems, these are inevitably encountered in development, transformation, and adjustment. Only by successfully responding to these challenges and transforming the dairy development model to accelerate transformation and upgrading can the industry develop sustainably and healthily,” said Gao Hongbin, president of the China Dairy Association.

It is understood that this conference was hosted by the China Dairy Association, with the theme “accelerating transformation and upgrading, promoting healthy development.” The conference also featured 18 sub-forums, including the “Cross-Strait Pasteurized Fresh Milk Forum” and the “National School Milk Program Promotion Work Conference.” The China Dairy Expo was held concurrently with the conference.