JDDB makes push to revive dairy farming, again

WESTERN BUREAU:

THERE HAS been a steady decline in local milk production over the years, so much so that Jamaica now imports 85 per cent of the milk consumed in the country.

In an effort to the reverse the decline in milk production, and possibly return Jamaica as a global leader in dairy farming, the Jamaica Dairy Development Board ( JDDB) has instituted a raft of measures to encourage cattle farmers to consider, or return to, the industry. Key to this renewed thrust by the JDDB are provisions for the inputs necessary for increasing milk production and fortifying local pastures with Mombasa grass, which is said to be good for milk production because of its high-protein content.

“We are into providing seeds for pasture development. We have farmers who are into planting large acreages of the Mombasa. This grass is of higher yield when compared to other grasses; it replenishes very fast,” Devon Sayers, project coordinator at the JDDB, told The Gleaner.

“Key and very important to the production of milk is that it (Mombasa grass) is very high in protein content, a key factor in the production of milk,” he pointed out.

Sayers explained that officers employed to the agency recently participated in an agricultural seminar in the United States, and they are using the knowledge gained to guide the development of pastures for dairy farming.

“Recently, our officers attended a seminar in Florida, where we were introduced to a new cultivar named brachia. At Bodles Research Centre in St Catherine, there will be a plan for this new cultivar to be planted and when ready, made available to farmers,” Sayers said.

But he advised that the JDDB is not limiting its efforts to just planting grass, as it will also support farmers with machinery and equipment.

“In St Thomas, we have a pilot project with four farmers. This project has been through the procurement process and is now awaiting the award of a contract. This will be in the form of a co-operative, where all the apparatus to be used in milk production will be shared,” Sayers revealed.

“The project is not limited to St Thomas, but will be introduced to other parishes, to include Clarendon, St Elizabeth and Trelawny.”

Additionally, Sayers said that the JDDB will supplement high-cost inputs in the dairy production process, such as electricity, by installing photovoltaic systems to produce solar energy.

“An expense that goes into milk production is the cost of electricity. It is needed to operate the cooler and aid in the milking [production] process,” Sayers explained. “In every parish where the project will be implemented, we will be going solar all the way. Immediately, the cost of electricity will be a thing of the past.

“The land on which the project will be established is to be leased to the farmers' groups. The lease will not be expensive,” he continued, as he outlined the scope of the JDDB's assistance to farmers. “The owner, a farmer, needs to maintain ownership.”

In Trelawny, cattle farmers Hugh Gentles, who is the custos of the parish; and Jeremy Peart, who grew up in the farming tradition, agreed that Mombasa grass is “very good”, but cautioned that dairy farming is an expensive undertaking.

“Dairy Farming is an expensive venture,” Gentles emphasised. “To start, one has to have land where you can plant large acreages of grass. I have 10 acres of Mombasa grass. It is a very good grass, but I use it for rearing beef cattle.

TIME-CONSUMING

“Unlike dairy, for beef farming you don't need a lot of equipment, nor need to visit the farm seven days per week,” the farming custos pointed out. “Dairy farming is time-consuming and expensive, especially to provide feed.”

Peart grew up on a farm where his father, Linden, was a leading dairy farmer. He also studied agriculture at Knockalva Agricultural School.

“I wanted to continue the family tradition. Over the years, it has become an expensive venture. The cost of electricity, transportation, [and] water have all combined to make it less attractive, and in addition, there is competition from imported milk powder,” he outlined, noting that dwindling local production has also meant loss of jobs.

“Me getting out of it has meant a loss of employment for the people who worked on the farm,” Peart told The Gleaner.

The decline has also affected big farmers like Island Dairies, whose business includes rearing dairy cattle and producing milk for distribution.

Nicola McKenzie, the quality control manager at Island Dairies, said: “We produce some milk for ourselves and buy from other farmers. It is expensive to have large numbers of dairy cattle. Some of the farmers from whom we purchase have reduced their herd numbers. This has affected our output .

“Our aim is to produce 10,000 boxes and bottles of milk per week. There have been occasions when we fall short of that target,” she disclosed.

Lenworth Fulton, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), bemoaned the decline of the dairy industry and made several recommendations that could revive it.

“To be successful as a dairy farmer, large acreages of land is needed. The Government has idle lands throughout the country. These should be made available at minimum lease cost,” he said.

“It cannot be encouraging to lease lands at $15,000 per acre. There should be loans available at low percentage interest, and these loans should have a moratorium attached, so that farmers are not burdened with the need to repay immediately,” the JAS president suggested.

Fulton, who will demit office at the JAS' next annual general meeting, added what he described as a most important decision to halt the decline.

“The Government must develop a policy aimed at reviving the industry. The Jamaica Hope was allowed to die,” said Fulton of a previous cattle breed that was locally developed to revive the industry.

“Steps must be taken to introduce a breed of cattle which will be mainly for milk production,” Fulton insisted.

leon.jackson@gleanerjm.com