(CN) Milking dairy industry for all it's worth to be a must

[Guest guest]

China Daily

http://www1.chinadaily.com.cn/cndy/2002-03-13/60644.html

(CUI NING)

03/13/2002

 

Officials from the ministries of agriculture and science and technology have

vowed to put more milk products on the dinner table to improve people's

health.

More efforts will be made to develop technologies for increasing milk

production and preventing epidemics, said Shi Dinghuan, secretary-general of

the Ministry of Science and Technology, at a forum on people's health and

the dairy industry.

 

The forum began yesterday in Beijing.

 

Cows' diets will also be improved by feeding them fine fodder. Doing so will

further raise the quality of milk products, Shi said.

 

He also said that regional governments will teach new breeding technologies

to farmers who raise cows and help them team with dairy industry companies

so as to further increase farmers' incomes.

 

A farmer can now make 80 yuan (US$10) in net profits by raising one pig a

year but a whopping 3,500 yuan (US$422) in net profits by raising one cow a

year, Shi said.

 

Studies in North America, Europe, Japan and Thailand have proven that milk

products play a vital role in strengthening people's bones.

 

The per capita milk consumption of China is significantly lower than the

world average level and far below the consumption in developed countries,

according to Shi.

 

Duan Wude, an official with the Department for Science and Technology within

the Ministry of Agriculture, said the country's dairy industry faces a

number of challenges. They include higher prices of milk products compared

with foreign counterparts, lower standards of quality examination and

limited variety of products.

 

" We must improve techniques for better storing, transporting and ensuring

hygiene of milk products to sharpen the competitiveness of the dairy

industry since the industry, together with our agricultural sectors, will

face rather fierce competition now that the country has entered the World

Trade Organization (WTO), " the official said.

 

Ma Shujie, vice-governor of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, one of

the country's largest animal husbandry centres, also said: " The country's

milk products market is stimulating domestic and overseas companies to

compete to win more market shares. "

 

Her province has persuaded such large companies as Switzerland-based Nestle

Company, Italy-based Parmalat Company, China's Shanghai Guangming Group and

Inner Mongolia's Yili Group to set up their subsidiaries for marketing

products, Ma said.

 

To provide companies with a fair competition climate within the province, Ma

said the provincial government will carry out relevant policies that comply

with WTO rules and do not impose on local protectionism.