Practices in milk collection centres for quality milk production: a case from the Aegean Region of Turkey

Practices in milk collection centres for quality milk production: a case from the Aegean Region of Turkey

New Medit, vol 8, n. 3, (September 2009), pp. 21-27

 

Language: EN
Jel classification: Q120, Q130

 

In Turkey, the most important problem for food safety is the supply of good-quality, safe raw material to the dairy industry. Milk collection centres (MCC) play an important role between the dairy farms and the dairy industry. In order to supply the high-quality, safe and adequate raw milk required by dairy processing firms, MCCs in the Turkish milk supply chain act as a bridge between the dairy farms and dairy processing industry. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate the role of MCCs in supplying good-quality, safe milk to the Turkish dairy sector. According to the results of this study, some problems appear evident because the milk is produced on small dairy farms. MCCs are also of small and medium size, therefore raw milk analyses cannot be fully achieved for the absence of qualified personnel and for equipment inadequacies. Subsidies and incentives must be made available in order to ensure the acquisition of technical equipment to be used in the analyses to determine the quality of the milk supplied to MCCs. Both the MCC personnel and the farmers must be educated on food safety and hygiene issues.

 

dairy sector, food quality, milk collection centres, milk farming, Turkey

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