The Department of Agriculture said the Philippine dairy industry sustained its positive growth momentum in the first quarter of 2026, based on data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
PSA data also showed that the value of dairy production at constant 2018 prices grew by 6.5 percent in the first quarter of 2026, higher than the 5.1 percent growth recorded during the same period in 2025.
At current prices, the dairy subsector likewise posted a 10.3 percent increase in value year-on-year, reflecting stronger production performance and continued demand for locally produced dairy products.
Meanwhile, the volume of dairy production increased by 6.47 percent, rising from 11.07 million liters in the first quarter of 2025 to 11.79 million liters in the first quarter of 2026.
This continued upward trend highlights dairy’s expanding role in strengthening food security, supporting rural livelihoods, and contributing to the overall growth of the livestock sector.
“The continued growth in the dairy sector reflects both the increasing productivity of our local dairy farmers and continued implementation of programs at the farm level. For the first quarter of 2026, local milk production reached 11.79 million liters, higher than the 11.07 million liters recorded during the same period last year, translating to a 6.47 percent increase in production,” said Atty. Marcus Antonius T. Andaya, administrator of the National Dairy Authority (NDA).
The industry’s gains are being achieved even before the infusion of additional dairy animals into local production systems. The NDA is expecting the arrival of imported dairy animals for its stock farms, which will further strengthen the country’s breeding base, accelerate herd build-up, and significantly contribute to increased milk production capacity in the coming years.
“We are optimistic about the opportunities that 2026 will bring, particularly with the expansion of the milk feeding program of the Department of Education to be procured under the Sagip Saka Act. This initiative is expected to create stronger and more stable market demand for locally produced milk, which in turn will encourage our dairy farmers to further increase production and invest in herd expansion and productivity improvements,” he added.
“Per capita milk consumption increased from 17.16 liters to 19.53 liters, reflecting growing consumer demand for dairy products. While the country’s milk sufficiency level stands at 2.10 percent as of March 2026, this further highlights the expanding market opportunities and the need to continue strengthening local milk production,” Andaya added.
For 2026, the NDA is targeting 53 million liters of milk production and a 2.33 percent milk sufficiency level, with ongoing investments in dairy animal importation, stock farm development, and farmer support programs expected to further boost the sector’s long-term growth trajectory.
