Nestlé, Trinidad and Tobago’s largest milk manufacturer, has announced the six winners of its Annual Dairy Awards. These farmers are Praim Singh of Turure, Vejai Supersad of Carlsen Field, Tricia Browne of Wallerfield, Bissoondaye Sadoo of Turure, Zynool Khan of Woodland and Salisha Sayneeram of Charlieville.
Topping the honours list as Best Overall High Impact Farmer in Milk Production is Praim Singh, whose Turure farm is home to 150 dairy cattle. According to Mr. Singh: “I always tell people that Nestlé’s 100% Fresh Milk is one of the best milks, I would say, not just in Trinidad, but in the world.”
Salisha Sayneeram whose Charlieville farm copped the Award for Best Overall Milk Quality in Charlieville says “Everyone should be proud of this 100% Fresh Milk product. My family and I drink the milk that we produce, so my milk has to be the best!”
“Nestlé Trinidad and Tobago has been manufacturing in Trinidad and Tobago for 59 years- since Dr. Eric Williams asked us to help develop T&T’s dairy industry. That is a legacy we do not take lightly. We are committed to our farmers and to dairy manufacturing,” says Siti Jones Gordon, Nestlé’s Head of Corporate Communications, “These Awards celebrate our close partnership with all of our farmers.”
Nestlé currently purchases all the milk that its farmers produce, guided by stringent quality parameters. The company also invests heavily in the local dairy industry to ensure its sustainability: In the last five years alone, Nestlé has invested TTD 4.5 million in the industry through the Nestlé Dairy Development Programme, which helps farmers improve feeding, fertility, health and productivity on farms. The company also invests in improving the industry’s infrastructure.
Felipe Parra, Nestlé’s Factory Manager says that over the last 12 months Nestlé has provided more resources to train farmers in best-practice methodologies to improve quality of the milk. Nestlé also offers insemination services to farmers to support healthy herd expansion and breeding practices.
There is significant interest in dairy farming — Nestlé’s Youth Development and Entrepreneurship bootcamp, currently underway, has been very popular with aspiring farmers, with 100 participants choosing training for Agripreneurship.
Mr. Herzen Graham, Agricultural Services Manager who leads the team responsible for local dairy at the Nestlé Valsayn plant stated, “Perhaps the most exciting development on the horizon is our Model Farm which we hope to begin building in 2022; the Model farm will pioneer methods to reduce cost and Co2, while increasing efficiency and milk quality and improving herd management, leading the way for our farmers.”