The Vietnam Dairy Products JS Co. (Vinamilk) has signed a framework agreement for cooperation with Lam Dong for breeding dairy cows in the Central Highlands province through 2020.

The deal will help Vinamilk set up an area from where it will obtain fresh milk and build large farms and a new milk processing factory to develop new products.

Lam Dong has an "Agriculture – Farmer – Rural development" policy and the cooperation will help make dairy cows a "key domestic animal" in its agricultural sector, increase the ratio of animal husbandry and contributing to local economic development.

Lam Dong authorities have promised to create the best conditions for Vinamilk to build two to three milk cow husbandry farms with a total of 10,000 cows and modern technologies.

The company will set up a model cow farm for local farmers to study and learn.

It also plans to build a breeding centre which will provide imported purebred Holstein Friesian cows to local farmers and households to increase productivity and quality.

Vinamilk will set up milk buying centres to purchase at least 90 percent of the produce of farmers at specialised dairy farming zones set up by the province.

The centres would also provide advanced farming techniques, feed, and cows for breeding, training in animal breeding and veterinary medicines to local farmers, the company said.

Vinamilk has provided 150,900 euro for building 30 model household cow breeding farms.

Vinamilk's purchase of fresh milk in Lam Dong has increased from 3,000 tonnes in 2008 to 16,000 tonnes last year.-VNA