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ENHANCING DAIRY SECTOR EXPORT COMPETITIVENESS IN PAKISTANEfficiency Losses at Production and DistributionThe geographical dispersion of the large number of smallholders in the dairy sector and use ofconventional transportation and calving practices has resulted in the wastage of almost 20% of the milkcollected. This wastage mainly occurs due to delay in transportation and inappropriate storage facilities.According to an estimate, this wastage of the milk results in an average deficiency of 207 litres in theavailability of milk to each Pakistani citizen per annum 36. This wastage results in low efficiency andprofitability to the farmers and increases the country’s dependence on imported milk and dairy products tocover the overall demand of these products.Low Productivity per AnimalThe productivity per milch animal is low as compared to its potential. The main reasons are lack of quantityand quality of feed, poor farm management, inappropriate breeding practices and lack of veterinary care.The milk productivity of Pakistani breeds is almost one fifth of similar breeds in Germany although the herdsize of milch animals is thrice that of Germany. 37 However such a comparison has been criticised due tothe facts that a country like Germany is developed and does not face the socio-economic constraints asPakistan does. It also employs technologically advanced dairy farming practises that render suchcomparisons inappropriate.On the other hand it is heartening that the annual yield per buffalo and cow in Pakistan is higher than otherSouth Asian countries like Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Nepal that have comparable socio-economicand climatic conditions for livestock breeding. 38 The productivity comparisons are reflected in Table 6.It may however be noted that ever since the import of livestock started into Pakistan from the year 2006onwards, there has mostly remained a disproportionate reliance on the breeds of Australian origin. Thesecows have a daily average production of 10-15 litres of milk. Besides, these cows are found to have limitedcompatibility with the local feed. Contrary to this, the recent research has shown that the milk production ofSwedish and Danish cows is much more as compared to the Australian breed. The average daily outputfrom these milch animals is about 33-35 litres. These cows are also compatible to the local feed but requireto be kept in controlled environment (under 26 degree Celsius) which is an expensive but yet viable optionfor big producers. Larger investments and favourable government policy to facilitate breeding of thesecows would greatly facilitate the milk production and help in overcoming the supply–demand gap in themedium and long run. 39There is a disadvantage associated with the imported breeds. These animals are highly prone to the “tickborne”40 disease to which the local breeds have higher immunity. However, with technology and betterveterinary practices this issue can be handled.35 Bio-slurry is decomposed organic mass that can be used as a fertilizer to enrich soil and increase agricultural yield36 Milk as Food Security in Pakistan, Abdul Razzaq, Vet News and Views, 200537 International Farm Comparison Network (IFCN) Report, 200338 Dairy Development in Pakistan, Umm e Zia, T. Mahmood and M.R. Ali, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), 201139 SMEDA40 Ticks are parasites that are bred on the skin of animals. They not only suck blood but also create weakness in their hosts. Thesealso act as major disease carriers between various species of animals. They can be fatal for the young livestock and can be limitingfactors in livestock productivity.33
ENHANCING DAIRY SECTOR EXPORT COMPETITIVENESS IN PAKISTANTable 6: Annual Yield Comparison of South Asian Milk-Producing CountriesAnnual yield/animal (tonnes)BuffaloYear Pakistan Sri Lanka India Bangladesh Nepal2003 0.750403 0.089286 0.48999 0.025882 0.2161462004 0.75451 0.083333 0.511417 0.025882 0.2177222005 0.755894 0.086667 0.527024 0.025882 0.2181372006 0.744014 0.087097 0.558704 0.025882 0.2190482007 0.787546 0.087097 0.577102 0.025882 0.213303Average 0.758473 0.086051 0.532848 0.025882 0.758473CowYear Pakistan Sri Lanka India Bangladesh Nepal2003 0.365236 0.111864 0.188843 0.032245 0.0519422004 0.364282 0.115517 0.204055 0.032389 0.0528742005 0.365289 0.115254 0.21982 0.32369 0.054222006 0.368627 0.114876 0.229435 0.032351 0.0552007 0.371622 0.117213 0.236955 0.032332 0.05483Average 0.367012 0.114945 0.215821 0.032337 0.053773Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) , 2011Feed and NutritionLow productivity per milch animal is mainly due to limited availability of high quality fodder and sufficientquantity of water. Milk productivity levels naturally rise up to three times in the months of November andDecember due to the availability of a high nutritious forage called Berseem. 41 Furthermore, there is lack ofawareness in the farmers’ community on feed control and balanced diet which is required to maintainhealth and desirable yield levels. The dietary decisions are taken on the basis of decades of old traditionalpractices particularly in the rural areas. The animals are fed with the fodder that grows as an agricultureresidue and with other crops that are not preferred for human consumption.A decrease in the cultivable land each year due to insufficient supply of water and shrinking resources inthe farm community have led to limited availability of appropriate fodder for the milch animals. This hasalso resulted in an increase in the prices of appropriate feed which mostly remain out of the affordabilitylimits of farmers, mainly in the rural areas. The situation gets worse during the peak summer and winterseasons (May, June, December and January are the harvesting months for wheat and cotton mainly) whenthe supply of animal feed shrinks and becomes expensive at the same time.Insufficient Veterinary ServicesMajor diseases in the farm animals are the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), Hemorrhagic Septicemia (HS),and Mastitis in large ruminants. In small ruminants, diseases such as Entero Toximia, Caprine PleuroPneumonia and Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) is common. 42 These need to be treated through theavailable veterinary institutions located in most parts of the country.After the devolution of powers under the 18 th constitutional amendment, the responsibilities relating toproviding veterinary services are now assigned to the provinces. Under the new scenario, the federalgovernment is responsible for planning and implementing of the national policies, coordination withprovincial, national and international agencies on matters relating to research and development, sectoraland trade development, standardization and compliance, quarantine and foreign assistance programmes41 A leguminous, winter fodder crop that is high in essential nutrients and provides easy and suitable digestibility to the livestock42 FAO Pakistan, 201034
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