19/10/2023 (Malaysia) - Malaysian dairy company Farm Fresh Berhad had been actively searching for a suitable area in Luzon to construct a $20-million cattle farm, according to the National Dairy Authority (NDA).
Farm Fresh was specifically looking to lease land spanning 200 to 400 hectares in Southern Luzon due to its cooler climate, as confirmed by the NDA. Possible locations discussed included Batangas and the University of Philippines-Los Baños land grant in Famy town, Laguna.
NDA officials had met with Farm Fresh executives to explore a strategic collaboration for a dairy farm with a herd of 3,000 cows through Farm Fresh's local subsidiary, Farm Fresh Inc. The facility was planned to begin operations by 2028, providing employment opportunities for around 200 local workers.
Meanwhile, Farm Fresh was already in the process of building a $5-million dairy processing facility in the municipality of San Simon in Pampanga, slated for completion that year.
Farm Fresh founder Loi Tuan Ee expressed optimism about increased income opportunities for local dairy farmers, highlighting the potential in the Philippines, which shared similarities with Malaysia in terms of topography and climate.
Farm Fresh operated multiple dairy farms in Malaysia and Australia, along with processing facilities in both countries. They maintained over 10,000 dairy cows and bulls and sold 78.6 million liters of finished products in 2022. Their international investments included processing facilities for imported milk ingredients in Australia, with a focus on the chilled ready-to-drink market in Metro Manila.