Dairy farmers' output drops

PURWOKERTO, Central Java (JP): At least 500 dairy farmers in Purwokerto, a dairy center in Central Java, are experiencing declining output due to increasing feedmeal prices.

The chairman of the Pesat dairy cooperative, Siswadi, said that milk produced by the farmers' cows had declined more than 60 percent to an average of 8,000 liters per day from an average of 13,000 liters two months ago.

A healthy, well-fed cow usually produces up to 12 liters of milk a day.

"The 70 percent increase in feedmeal prices in the last two months has cut the farmers' incomes because it exceeds the increase in fresh milk prices," he said.

All the farmers in the area are members of the Pesat cooperative.

The government raised the price of fresh dairy milk in February 17.5 percent to Rp 670 (9 U.S. cents) per liter from Rp 570 per liter.

Siswadi said that the price of concentrate, a protein-rich ingredient of feedmeal, has increased by 80 percent to Rp 350 per kilogram from Rp 280 per kg two months ago.

He added that many dairy farmers had reduced the amount of concentrate given to their cattle by around 50 percent and replaced it with grass and soybean residues which had a lower protein content.

"As less protein has been given to the dairy cattle, their milk production has reduced," he said.

Nasihin, a farmer in the area, said that the feedmeal price increases should be compensated for by hiking the price of milk 300 percent. (45/gis)