Nigeria needs 1.7 million litres of dairy for domestic consumption

Nigeria requires about 1.7 million litres of dairy production annually to meet the increasing domestic consumption in the country.

Incidentally, the local production of milk production in Nigeria still stood at 30 per cent while 70 per cent are sourced from importation market, which is drilling the country’s foreign reserve to US$1.5bn annually.

The Regional Manager of Olam Nigeria limited, Mr. Manish Khede, gave the account unveiling launch of artificial insemination programme of 100 cows at Yar Kanya village in Dawakin Tofa council, Kano State.

According to Khede, Nigeria required urgent technology advancement to enhance animal’s reproductive organ to bridge the large deficit, reduce capital flight on importation and stimulate food security.

He said Olams is committed as part of corporate social responsibility to support Federal Government on animal insemination and various agricultural programmes to enhancing milk production in the country.

He declared that Olams promotes national food security, development of industries and enhance animal rearing as well as milk production in the country.

Meanwhile, Assistant Director at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Alh. Bashir Muhammad Danjanku, had disclosed the insemination of 100 cows at Year Kanya village was part of Federal Government livestock projects targeted at 500 cows.

Danjanku, however, cautioned the benefiting herdsmen to take good advantage of the various interventions provided by the government through the Central Bank of Nigeria to grow milk production.

He further explained that the Federal Government is also coming to provide enough feeds for cows in the area before the insemination and to also discourage them from continuous movement.

The project of inseminating cows to enhance the production of milk is being run by the Kano Dairy Cooperative Union with support by Outspan from Singapore.