Production of the first ever locally-produced organic cheese was celebrated in Indonesia this week. The cheese is the tangible result of a project bringing together Danish agricultural expertise with local Indonesian partners to improve the Indonesian dairy sector and showcase the opportunities within organic dairy farming.
Production lines started running this week which represents a milestone for the dairy sector in the island country with a population of 273 million. The cheese, produced by local artisanal manufacturer Mazaraat Artisan Cheese, has been aided by a Danida-funded project aiming to unlock the potential of organic production in Indonesia and increase local dairy farming efficiency.
Said Hanne Søndergaard, Executive Vice President of Agriculture, Sustainability and Communication, Arla Foods: “It is a very joyous occasion to see the production commence. With the pandemic, a local outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease, and supply chain disruptions, this project has been hit with several challenges along the way. But with the determination of all the partners involved, and with the support from the Indonesian government, we have been able to deliver on this very impactful project underlining Arla’s commitment to creating the future of dairy and supporting sustainable dairy production around the world.”
Added Dr. Nasrullah, Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture: “This is a great move for the Indonesian dairy industry and for the entire food production sector. We have ambitious plans in place and we need to implement the best practices and newest knowledge to succeed and we do that by collaborating in projects like these. I am very much looking forward to following how this will positively impact our local production going forward”.
Says Lisbeth Henricksen, Director of Innovation, SEGES Innovation: “Converting the first smallholder farms in Indonesia, with only 3-5 cows, from conventional to certified organic dairy production represents a significant step forward. The Indonesian organic standards have to reflect the local context where many of the farms are located in villages and without fields surrounding the barns but we have outlined the basics of organic milk production in terms of animal welfare, feed and concentrate production. This achievement is a result of a great partnership with KPSP and Bina Swadaya as well as support from numerous stakeholders all along the dairy value chain.”
Indonesian dairy demand is set to increase by 6 percent in 2023 and with approx. 80 percent of dairy consumption comes from imported products, there is an evident local interest in becoming more efficient. On top of this, the Indonesian government has set specific targets for organic production aiming to increase local organic food production from current approx. 2 percent to 20 percent by 2024. For more visit arla.com
