ANALYSIS OF THE MARKET AND LOCAL DEMAND FOR BUFFALO MILK IN GENERAL TRIAS, CAVITE, PHILIPPINES

Abstract

Philipp J Vet Anim Sci 2011, 37 (1): 77-88

The study described the market situation and estimated the present and future demand for buffalo milk of the General Trias community. The town is currently developed as one of the dairy impact zones under the Carabao Development Program (CDP). At present, market outlet is seen as one of the underlying causes of the smallhold farmer’s low income. Thus, analysis of the market and prediction of its demand would provide better understanding of the market and empower stakeholders in the formulation of favorable production and market policies/decisions leading to a viable dairy buffalobased enterprise. Market build-up, use of standards and coefficients and chain ratio were the estimation methods used. Primary data were gathered from selected market players while secondary data utilized national and regional coefficients such as population, per capita consumption, income, household size, income elasticity of demand and percent milk expenditures. Results showed that the aggregate demand for buffalo milk, 10,284 liter per month of the selected market players, captured a small portion of the total demand of the community. The estimation methods showed that monthly demand in 2009 was 119,902 l, 123,499 l and 143,473 l and will increase linearly until 2015. The findings suggest that there is a high and largely untapped market for buffalo milk and milk products and appropriate marketing strategies and product development are needed to cater to a market-driven dairy enterprise.