Indonesia Pushes for Dairy Self-Sufficiency

Indonesia is intensifying efforts to achieve dairy self-sufficiency as imports continue to supply around 80% of the country’s milk demand, highlighting the scale of its dependence on foreign dairy products. Deputy Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Hanif Faisol Nurofiq said Indonesia currently produces only about 1 million tonnes of milk annually against domestic demand of 4 million tonnes, leaving a supply gap of roughly 3 million tonnes. According to the minister, despite decades of investment in the dairy sector since the 1920s and rapid industry growth between 2000 and 2020, the country remains heavily reliant on imports to meet consumer needs.

To reduce this dependence, the government is promoting the development of an integrated dairy ecosystem spanning upstream, midstream, and downstream activities. The strategy includes expanding dairy cattle numbers, improving farm productivity, strengthening research and innovation, and enhancing milk processing capacity to build a more competitive and sustainable domestic dairy industry. Officials have also emphasized the importance of improving nutrition and supporting the country’s long-term “Golden Indonesia 2045” vision through stronger domestic milk production.

The self-sufficiency challenge remains substantial. Recent estimates from Indonesia’s Ministry of Agriculture indicate the country may require an additional 1.4 million dairy cows to meet domestic demand, increasing the national dairy herd from approximately 540,657 animals to around 2 million. Current average milk productivity is about 12.5 litres per cow per day, and authorities believe improvements in genetics, feed quality, animal health, and farm management could help reduce the number of additional cows required.

Industry observers note that achieving dairy self-sufficiency will require significant investments in dairy farming, processing infrastructure, cold-chain logistics, and milk collection systems. As Indonesia seeks to strengthen food security and reduce import dependence, the country’s dairy expansion plans could create major opportunities for dairy genetics, livestock, technology, and processing sectors while reshaping regional dairy trade flows in the years ahead. (DairyNews)

Source: Dairynews7x7 14 June, 2026 Read full story here

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