HINA News

Gov’t adopts €592.5m program for dairy sector developmen

ZAGREB, 15 Feb (Hina) – The government on Thursday adopted a program for the development of the dairy sector in the period until 2030, worth €592.5 million, as well as an action plan for the implementation of the program in the period until 2025, worth €141.7 million.

Agriculture Minister Marija Vučković said the program was a fundamental document, the first of its kind, defining goals and strategies aimed at boosting the competitiveness of the dairy sector in the future.

Considering the importance of dairy production and the insufficient level of technological development of production, systematic investment is required to adjust to existing standards and improve competitiveness and production technologies as well as farming conditions, with compliance with the high standards of environmental protection and animal welfare, the government said.

The program presents sector targets, priorities and measures to achieve those targets. The program has three direct goals – increasing the number of cows, sheep and goats in milk production, increasing productivity by advancing technologies and cooperating with farmers’ associations on improving livestock genetics, and ensuring the availability and sufficiency of production capacity.

Cow’s milk production around 630 million liters by end of 2030

The implementation of the program will result in an increase in the population of dairy cows, goats and sheep. The total cow’s milk production is estimated to amount to around 630 million liters by the end of 2030, while the production of sheep’s milk is expected to amount to 8.4 million liters and goat’s milk to 11.2 million liters.