On Friday, 30 May 2025, the Western Cape Minister of Agriculture, Economic Development and Tourism, Dr Ivan Meyer, joined agricultural scientists and students at the dairy research facility at Elsenburg to mark World Milk Day.
Commemorated on 1 June, World Milk Day was established in 2001 by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations to recognise the importance of milk as a global food. Additionally, the day aims to draw attention to activities related to the dairy sector. This year’s theme is “The Power of Dairy”.
The Minister highlighted that the theme allows us to reflect on the dairy sector’s vital role in a sustainable global food system.
Minister Meyer said, “World Milk Day is more than just a celebration – it’s a movement that highlights milk as a vital, accessible food source that nourishes billions.
The Minister continued, “It is also a day to acknowledge and celebrate the dairy sector’s significant and positive impact on sustainable agriculture, economic development, and global health”.
While the number of producers in South Africa has declined by 46% from January 2015 to January 2022, milk production has increased by 7.2% over the same period.
Minister Meyer added, “Western Cape Milk producers are responsible for 30.6% or 1 041 349 tonnes of the country’s fresh milk production. At an average milk price of R5.50/kg at the farm gate, this equates to more than R5.73 billion in the province, at the primary producer level alone”.
Approximately 299 unprocessed milk producers were operating in the Western Cape province in January 2024, creating many jobs for the domestic economy.
Minister Meyer stressed, “Agri-processing is a key and much-needed sub-sector to accelerate economic growth, attract more investment, achieve export-led growth, and drive job creation for youth. It is for this reason that the department’s Food Safety System Certification (FSSC) 22000-accredited Agri-Processing Hub has been steadfast in its mission to empower young entrepreneurs and producers by facilitating their ability to process products or access funding schemes for business expansion.
According to Stats SA data, in the last quarter of 2024, the Western Cape employed 1 679 people in the dairy sector, accounting for 17% of the national total dairy employment.
Minister Meyer stated, “Fifty-two percent of the dairy employment in the province is concentrated at dairy and livestock producers, which comprise farm owners and skilled labour, and the remaining 48% (823) is mainly dairy product makers, which include apprentices/trainees.”
“World Milk Day provides the perfect opportunity to spread the word that milk is an integral part of a healthy, balanced diet and to express our gratitude to our milk producers, agri-workers and agri-businesses for working tirelessly to make milk and milk products accessible to our consumers”, concluded the Minister.
