Mr. Carl Ocampo from Farm Fresh Philippines, Ms. Charmaine A. San Pedro, NDA Economist III, Mr. Isaac Loi Hean An from Farm Fresh Philippines, Mr. Shawn Pu, CEO of Farm Fresh Philippines, distinguished businessman Mr. Frank Lao, founder of Farm Fresh Berhad Mr. Tuan Ee Loi, Dr. Gabriel L. Lagamayo, NDA Administrator, Ms. Rowena E. Bautista, NDA OIC Operations Manager, Mr. Paul Brucal, President of Rumen Solutions Philippines, Mr. Bryle Lennard P. Rosal, NDA Business Development Officer, and the NDA OIC Division Chief of Business Development and Special Concerns.
Quezon City, Philippines – On Thursday, October 12, 2023, high-level executives from Malaysia’s prominent dairy industry leader, Farm Fresh Berhad, convened with officials from the National Dairy Authority (NDA) to explore a strategic collaboration. The primary focus of these discussions was the establishment of a substantial dairy farm, with a herd of 3,000 cows, by Farm Fresh’s Philippine subsidiary, Farm Fresh Inc.
The meeting was attended by Farm Fresh’ Berhad’s esteemed founder, Mr. Tuan Ee Loi, Farm Fresh Philippines’ CEO, Mr. Shawn Pu, Mr. Isaac Loi Hean An, Mr. Carl Ocampo, distinguished businessman Mr. Frank Lao, and Rumen Solutions President Mr. Paul Brucal. Farm Fresh Berhad is actively collaborating with the Philippine government to materialize a significant US$20 million investment, primarily focused on cattle breeding for milk production. To support this endeavor, they are actively seeking land spanning 200 to 400 hectares for leasing.
President and concurrent Department of Agriculture Secretary Ferdinand “Bong Bong” Marcos Jr. had the opportunity to meet with Farm Fresh Berhad’s executives during his state visit to Malaysia last June. The President, in a conversation documented by the Presidential Communications Office, expressed enthusiasm for large-scale cattle rearing for milk production within the Philippines. He noted, “In the Philippines, when you talk about livestock, we talk about [hog] and chicken; we don’t talk about cattle.
Maybe it’s time to introduce it to the market,” as he extended a warm welcome to Farm Fresh executives. NDA Administrator Dr. Gabriel L. Lagamayo supports this project, highlighting the pivotal role of investments in revitalizing the dairy industry. “With the prospect of a 6,000 sqm dairy processing facility on the horizon, the demand for local milk volume from local dairy farmers is expected to witness substantial growth.
This will increase the income opportunities for our dairy farmers,” he added. Mr. Loi Tuan Ee, the founder of Farm Fresh Berhad, shares an optimistic outlook for the venture. “The Philippines and Malaysia exhibit remarkable similarities in terms of topography and climate. We see tremendous potential in the Philippines,” he expressed.
Farm Fresh operates five dairy farms in Malaysia and an additional one in Australia. The company also oversees two processing facilities in Malaysia and one in Australia.
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Ian Caro E. Agbayani
Information Officer IV
ieagbayani@nda.da.gov.ph