The Philippines imported 1.73 billion liters of dairy in the first half of 2025, up 4.6 percent from a year earlier, the National Dairy Authority (NDA) reported over the weekend.
The imports, valued at P43.26 billion, came mostly in the form of skim milk powder, which accounted for nearly 40 percent of total shipments, data from the NDA showed.
The bulk of the supply came from New Zealand (32 percent), the United States (22 percent) and Australia (5 percent).
By contrast, the Philippines’ dairy production at 18.16 million liters in the same period accounted for barely 1 percent of total consumption.
That was an 11.35 percent increase from a year earlier. In terms of value, the local output rose 22 percent to P1.08 billion.
“The persistent and overwhelming reliance on imports continues to be a major challenge,” the National Dairy said.
“Strengthening local capacity is essential not only for reducing import dependence but also for ensuring long-term food security,” it added.
National Dairy Administrator Marcus Antonius Andaya said the agency projects the Philippines may reach 2 percent self-sufficiency by year-end, which, he said, may possibly rise to 5 percent by 2028 if stock farms are expanded and more dairy cows are imported.
