Due to increasing demand for fresh milk in Asia, fresh milk producer Greenfield has imported 360 pregnant cows from Australia to improve its production capacity.

Greenfield processing manager Darmanto told The Jakarta Post here over the weekend his company, which had allocated Rp 108 billion (US$9.55 million) for the import program, would soon make a second import of the same number.

With the pregnancies at up to six months, the number of the company's cows able to produce 26 liters each per day will double in the next three months, he said, adding the new cows would arrive at Juanda International Airport in a chartered cargo aircraft Tuesday.

The increase in the number of cows is expected to boost the company's capacity to up to 150 tons of fresh milk per day, plus the 70 tons of fresh milk per day supplied by the Sekar Tanjung Milk Cooperatives (PKIS).

"We are waiting for two to three months for when the new cows have their calves," Darmanto said.

He said his company supplied fresh milk to Cambodia, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam and had yet to meet the demand for an additional 20 tons per day from Hong Kong and the Philippines.

"With the new cows, we will be able to meet the additional demand in a few months," he said, adding a part of the company's production was also supplied to milk factory PT Nestle.

Darmanto said his company decided to import the cows because the quality of local cows' milk did not meet the export standard.

Separately, head of the East Java Veterinary Agency Sigit Hanggono called on milk powder producers such as PT Nestle, PT Frisian Flag Indonesia and Indomilk to follow PT Greenfield's lead and develop their own ranches to meet the increasing demand both at home and overseas.

He said the government would support the cow imports to improve the country's milk production and exports.

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