Dairy farms in the country are currently producing less than 50 percent of the national demand for milk, according to Assistant Agriculture Minister Tomasi Tunabuna. He noted that farmers are facing significant challenges in meeting this demand.
Minister Tunabuna highlighted that the production capacity is insufficient to cater to the needs. One of the main issues affecting milk production is the outbreak of tuberculosis among cows.
He stated, “Tuberculosis was responsible for the decline in cow numbers.” While sick cows have been removed from farms, efforts to manage this situation continue alongside the culling of affected animals.
During a recent training session in Labasa, the minister reiterated the struggle of farms to keep up with demand, mentioning, “We could not replace the cows that were removed due to infection.”
He also pointed out that Fiji relies heavily on imports of milk from New Zealand and Australia.
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