Milk Quality Improvement Program for Small-Scale Dairy Farmers in Angochagua, Ecuador
Milk Quality Improvement Program for Small-Scale Dairy Farmers in Angochagua, Ecuador
Elena Balarezo*, Jose Luis Flores and Miguel Angel Toro-Jarrin
ABSTRACT
Almost 5.7 million liters of milk are produced annually in Ecuador, and around 60% of production comes from small-scale producers with unregulated production processes and distribution systems. This lack of regulation encourages the development of pathogens in milk and lowers the final sales price. The aim of this study was to implement and test a milk quality program to improve product quality and sales prices. We carried out an initial diagnosis of management practices and bacteriological quality of milk, followed by program implementation directed to project promoters and community members. We checked the bacteriological quality of milk and industry price on a monthly basis before and after implementation. After the introduction of the Milk Quality Program, the quality of milk from small-scale producers improved, allowing producers to receive $0.08 more for each liter of milk produced. This increase means approximately $17,000 more annually for community producers. These results show that training on hygienic milk production is an effective intervention for improving the bacteriological quality of milk.
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