LAHORE, Jan 26: Need for exploitation of dairy and beverage resources was stressed for economic growth at a one-day international conference organized by private sector here on Thursday.

Magnus Oscvarsson, head of a local dairy company, said Pakistan was the fourth largest milk producing country in the world but it was not benefiting from the resource because of obsolete livestock farming and milk collection, storage and transportation procedures.

He said modernization of the dairy sector was necessary for its development. Milk production could be doubled by giving the animals proper feed.

Milk collection centres could be set up in rural areas on the pattern of China where farmers brought their cattle for milking by machines twice a day.

Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Laboratories delegate said the cost of milk had increased after setting up of dairy farms which should be controlled.

He said chemicals being added to the milk for preservation during transportation affected its quality adversely.

Speaking on ‘Processing and New Product Development,’ a Swedish company delegate Bozena Malmgren stressed the need for developing integrated system for improving producer profitability in dairy and beverage industry. She explained various processes developed for cost-effective processing and packaging of milk.

Speaking on ‘Global Milk and Beverage Consumption Trends,’ Swedish food expert Claes Nemark said annual liquid consumption in the world was estimated at 5,200 billion litres. Packaged beverages share was around 731 billion litres and liquid dairy products 156 billion litres.

He said Pakistan had probably the world’s highest per capita milk consumption — around 30 billion litres per annum. Most of the milk consumed in Pakistan was not processed. Farmers here got less than 18 cents a litre despite high prices of packaged milk whereas those in Switzerland, Norway, Finland, Canada, Germany and the US received more than 45 cents per litre.

The conference was attended by more than 150 representatives of dairy and beverage industries. It was followed by an exhibition of dairy farming and beverage products. —Reporter