June 2, 2009
Bangkok (ASTV Manager Online) – Agriculture ministry encourages Thai people to drink more milk to help support milk cow farmers.
The World Milk Day was set by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to fall on June 1 of each year.
Agriculture ministry yesterday held an exhibition as well as activities to mark the World Milk Day at the Central World Plaza.
Many schools joined to celebrate the special day. For example, Wat Makutkasatriyaram School allocated its budget to buy milk for more than 1,900 Matthayom 1-6 students.
About 30 percent or 150 Matthayom 1-3 students had malnutrition since their height and weight were not up to the health department’s standard.
The school milk scheme covers only Prathom 1-6 students.
Thailand is the biggest raw milk producer in the Southeast Asia. However, the milk drinking rate is just 14.19 liters per person per year.
The rate is lower than Japan’s rate five times.
Most of Thai children stop drinking milk when they grow up. Thais, especially in the working and elder group, experience osteoporosis due to lack of calcium.
