Tetra Pak and DeLaval--sister companies in the Tetra Laval Group--just signed a 5 year agreement with the Dairy Association of China to provide training to Chinese dairy farm managers. The signing ceremony was attended by both the Chinese and Swedish Ministers of Agriculture, who have a Memorandum of Understanding to increase co-operation in agriculture.

Through the agreement signed today, 150 managers will be trained during the next 5 years, providing them with the skills required to run larger-scale dairy farms.

Professor Li Shengli, professor of the China Agricultural University and Chief Scientist of Dairy Farming engaged by the Chinese Ministry of Agriculture says, “China’s liquid milk consumption is still low, at less than 20 liters per capita. This is approximately half the average consumption in Asia, and one fifth the average in Europe. However, rising disposable income, combined with people’s desire to improve their quality of life, means the size and growth potential of the domestic market is huge; China must develop its own dairy farming industry”.

“We are happy to see that Tetra Pak and DeLaval are taking the initiative to help us bridge the skill gap in the Chinese farming sector. Once trained, these individuals will be able to share their knowledge with their peers and, in turn, help raise the standard of farming in China,” he added.

The training program covers many different areas of dairy farm management, including breeding, nutrition and disease prevention.  It will be delivered through lectures at the China Agricultural University, a 2 month internship at a model farm in China, and culminate in the opportunity to visit and study at DeLaval’s Hamra farm and other dairy farms in Sweden.

Tetra Pak and DeLaval have been working hand-in-hand on dairy farming projects in China since 2003. Their first collaboration sought to upgrade farms that provided raw milk to China’s School Feeding Program; by 2014, all 194 farms involved in the project had reached EU quality standards. The companies’ joint efforts also include developing virtual training to farmers through TV programs and the free distribution of educational DVDs and booklets.