Sleman, Yogyakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia's Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to boost national milk production through measures such as encouraging the development of dairy goat farming businesses. Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman said here on Saturday that rearing dairy goats is an alternative that is suitable for development and is widely accepted in society.
"The dairy goat farming business is favored by breeders because it is relatively easy and the production is quick," he explained during a visit to Bumi Nararya Farm (BNF) in Sleman.
Located at the foot of Mount Merapi, BNF is one of the largest dairy goat farms in Indonesia. The farm has 706 goats comprising 628 female goats and 78 male goats.
"It should be duplicated in other areas. This is our effort to reduce milk imports so that we can reach self-sufficiency," he said.
According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), the goat population in Indonesia currently stands at 18.5 million, with the number of dairy goats pegged at 3.3 million. Central Java and East Java are the provinces with the largest goat populations, accounting for around 20 percent of the total goat population in the country.
At present, observations in the field have shown, the demand for goat milk is quite high, especially from people living in urban areas. This is because goat's milk has many health benefits and is considered good for preventing and treating diabetes.
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Goats and sheep also have an important role in Indonesian cuisine, such as for making goat satay and soto kambing (goat meat soup).
"We really appreciate the dedication and hard work that have been given in boosting the farm productivity and product quality. This hard work does not only build economic sustainability, but also contributes to meeting national food needs," the minister said.
