Current initiative is a pilot joint project of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and UNDP “Business Forum of Uzbekistan (Phase 2)” directed at assisting farmers and household owners to establish partnership with business in order to market the milk produced at their farms and households.

The Milk Collection Center will be established at a farm in Kosonsay district of Namangan region. It will promote welfare improvement and income generation among rural population, thru collecting produced milk at market prices, increasing productivity of a herd and improving cooperation between milk producers and businessmen. In this regards, “Business Forum of Uzbekistan (Phase 2)” Project is supporting supply of new equipment with latest milk storage technologies to “Chashmai Safed” farm, specialized in production of dairy products. The project also envisages innovative approach to milk collection, in particular, transition from the traditional milk collection system (once a day) to (3 times a day) collection after each milking, allowing to increase the amount of raw milk and milk quality due to its freshness. As well, the quality of milk will be checked using special devices.

As part of the project, seminar for milk producers was organized in Kosonsay on November 7-8. The farmers discussed opportunities of supplying milk to “Chashmai Safed” farm. As well, meeting participants were trained on effective milk production, including effective farm management, feeding milch herd, growing young herd and usage of computer programs on herd management. The event was attended by over 30 farmers and household owners, representatives of local government and self-government organizations, experts of “Business Forum of Uzbekistan (Phase 2)” Project, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Uzbekistan and mass-media.

Milk Collection Center in Kosonsay will also deal with forage procurement, households’ education and provision of veterinary and herd planning (insemination) services. The Center will collecting milk at the end of November.