Milk output surges in PH as dairy herd grows in 2025.

On a small farm in Luzon, a carabao mother lowers her head to feed her calf, while a farmer quietly watches — a simple moment that reflects a bigger trend: milk production in the Philippines is rising.

According to the National Dairy Authority (NDA), backed by data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the country produced 18.16 million liters of milk in the second quarter of 2025 (April to June), up 11.4% from the same period in 2024.

Much of this growth comes from areas supported by the NDA. 14.72 million liters, or around 81% of the total Q2 output, came from NDA-assisted and monitored farms — a year-on-year increase of 11.9%.

When it comes to the source of milk, dairy cattle remain the top producer, supplying 10.98 million liters, or 60.4% of the total. The rest comes from other animals: carabaos contributed 2.64 million liters (14.5%) and goats gave 2.14 million liters (11.8%).

Part of the reason for this production boost is that the country’s dairy herd is expanding. As of June 2025, the herd totaled 166,411 heads, up 16.4% from mid-2024.  This number includes 37,369 dairy cattle, 89,907 carabaos, and 39,035 goats.

NDA Administrator Marcus Antonius Andaya said the growth in both output and herd shows that government programs are working.  The NDA has established five stock farms — in Nueva Ecija, Bohol, Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, and Cotabato — with three more planned, to help sustain this upward trend.

By mid-2025, the NDA’s dairy support programs had reached 70 provinces, 463 municipalities, and 1,307 dairy groups, helping 2,355 farmers through assistance and monitoring.

This steady progress is raising the country’s milk self-sufficiency rate. The NDA says it is now close to 2%, up from just 1% in previous years. The agency aims to reach 2.5% by the end of 2025, and 5% by 2028.

Still, the Philippines relies heavily on imports to meet most of its dairy needs. But producing more local milk does more than cut import bills — it gives dairy farmers in rural areas a chance to earn more and build a more sustainable industry.

For many farmers, a bigger herd and better support mean more income. For consumers, it could mean more fresh, locally produced milk on the table. The latest numbers show progress, but there’s still a long way to go.

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