China reports 'concrete progress' in dairy industry

The quality rating of domestic dairy products has remained above 99 percent for six consecutive years, experts said at a webinar.

The data is proof that "concrete progress" has been made in vitalizing China's dairy industry, said Liu Chengguo, the former vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs on Friday.

A surge in the sales of domestic dairy goods — a telltale sign of increased consumer confidence — is further evidence of the trend, he said while speaking at the 7th International Symposium on Dairy Cow and Milk Quality.

"The reason dairy quality has remained high is firstly because of the attention the industry has received from the State, and also because of the support it has received from other fields, especially science and technology," he said.

Sun Tan, deputy director of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, said domestic consumption of milk products is just one-third of the world average and half the average consumption in Asia.

"Since China has turned itself into a moderately prosperous society in all respects, people will aspire for better lives and increase their demand for such products," he said at the event.

Qin Yuchang, director of the Institute of Animal Sciences of the CAAS, an organizer of the event, said since the first such meeting in 2009, the international gathering has become a crucial platform to share cutting edge technologies and the latest products, and to promote international collaborations in the dairy industry.

More than 20 dairy experts from countries including the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and Netherlands joined the event virtually with about 30 Chinese counterparts.