SA Dairy Farmers Association president John Hunt states need for milk from the state’s South East is overtaking need, and more farmers are required.
Key points:
- A Mount Gambier cream cheese factory commemorates 50- year turning point
- SA dairy leader states more youthful farmers are required as older farmers leave the market
- Milk processors in the South East source milk from Victoria to stay up to date with need
Mr Hunt’s remarks came as international cheesemaker Mondelez commemorated 50 years at Suttontown in South East SA, with a check out to the factory by Premier Peter Malinauskaus and Minister for Primary Industries Clare Scriven.
Mr Hunt stated regardless of the commercial-sized operations of dairy manufacturers within the area, a lot of the significant processors, such as Mondelez and UDC in Penola, were required to supplement their supply from Victoria.
The South East is the state’s most efficient milk area, amounting to 270 million litres every year.
Mondelez alone takes over half that supply to make almost 80 million tubs of cream cheese items a year, and the business stated it might take more.
Suttontown website supervisor Adam Borchers stated Mondelez processed around 150 million litres of milk yearly, and while most of that was sourced from farmers within the South East, it likewise relied on Victorian manufacturers near the border to fulfill its requirements.
” All our milk is sourced from within a 150- kilometre radius,” Mr Borchers stated.
” Fresh milk continues to be a limited, however important product for us and we’re significantly trying to find more supply to continue to grow our volumes.
” With that stated, we are quite dedicated to sourcing in your area.”
The future
Mr Hunt stated production had actually contracted over the past 10 to 15 years, however things were now looking more favorable, with a brand-new generation of farmers entering into the market.
” People have actually been leaving the market as the typical age of dairy farmers is getting on a bit,” he stated.
” Good rates for land and excellent costs for stock [cattle] has actually likewise led some farmers to enter into beef or offer up and leave the market entirely.
” But then there’s numerous youths returning into the market too, which is an advantage.”
Mr Hunt stated the sector required education and methods to assist the next generation of milk manufacturers enter the market.
” Dairy is a terrific market to create wealth,” he stated.
” But we require the have youths enter into the market through various academic paths, to see what the market can offer them.”