Dairy boost

Barbados’ dairy sector is set to receive a boost in the coming weeks in the form of imported heifers from Canada.

This was disclosed yesterday by chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS), James Paul, as he provided an update on efforts to enhance the dairy industry, at a distributors’ seminar hosted by Pinnacle Feeds at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre.

He expressed confidence that the importation of 180 heifers by next month will begin to address current production concerns and set the stage for sustainable growth.

“As I said before, our dairy sector has been challenged, largely because we saw a process of culling in the past that has led to a decrease in overall milk production,” Paul stated.

He said the industry was now taking definitive steps to reverse this trend and expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Agriculture for its forward-looking policies.

“That move in the Budget speech by the Prime Minister [Mia Amor Mottley] which talked about the whole question of the 80 per cent rebate on imported heifers, pregnant heifers, is the lifeline we are using now,” Paul added. In the 2024 Budget, Mottley

offered several incentives for the dairy industry, including “an increase in the rebate on the purchase of cows from 50 per cent up to a maximum of $4 000 and to 80 per cent up to a maximum of $6 400 per cow to assist farmers with the livestock purchase”. There is also a 45 per cent rebate on the purchase price of hay for three years.

Paul predicted a significant impact on milk production by the start of the next tourist season.

“I think that is going to make a consequential difference, and within another two months or so, we should see the importation of heifers into Barbados. When those heifers calve down, you will see an increase in production in terms of the milk production,” he said.

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