The Federal government has announced the launch of a National dairy Policy to promote and develop Nigeria’s dairy industry and consumption.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Muhammad Nanono, at the opening of a Wider Stakeholders Engagement on National Dairy Policy on Tuesday in Abuja.
The Minister said Nigeria needs to maximise its potential in the sector and induce renewed interest in the development of the Diary sub-sector, particularly in recognition of the nutritional and livelihood importance of milk and other dairy products in Nigeria.
According to the Minister, the industry is largely subsistent and consists of local milk production, importation, processing, marketing and consumption.
The consumption of aggregated and bulk milk is less than 20 percent of the local potential.
The long neglect of the livestock sector has put a lot of burden on the import bills of the country.
To facilitate this growth, the Ministry is presently collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment (FMITI), Raw Material Research Development Council (RMRDC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), amongst others.
The Ministry of Agriculture is also collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning and the private sector, to promote and develop the local dairy industry.
