Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Ministry of Industry is encouraging higher production capacity in the milk processing sector to meet demand from the 2026 Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, estimated at 4.8 billion milk packs of 115 ml and 125 ml. “The 2026 MBG program requires 4.8 billion milk packages, while the national milk processing industry's capacity for 115 and 125 milliliter packages is only 2.39 billion, or 49.7 percent of the total MBG requirement,” the ministry's Director of the Beverage, Tobacco Products, and Refreshment Industry, Merrijantij Punguan Pintaria, said on Tuesday. The ministry informed that three companies have expanded capacity and made fresh investments to support the MBG program. However, further capacity growth is needed to meet the program’s future milk demand. According to Pintaria, the government is encouraging cooperatives to join the milk processing sector as part of efforts to expand national milk production capacity. Her office is currently rolling out an industrial restructuring program to help expand capacity in the milk processing sector and support cooperatives seeking to produce packaged ready-to-drink milk. In this program, the government offers investment reimbursements of up to 35 percent for products meeting domestic component level (TKDN) requirements and up to 25 percent for other locally made products. In line with this effort, the ministry is also advancing the digital transformation of the national fresh milk supply chain. Currently, 96 milk collection centers from nine cooperatives have joined the government’s program, while a dedicated application is being developed to allow cooperatives to submit data for authorities to monitor real-time milk supply across all 96 collection centers. Pintaria then noted that Indonesian milk consumption is still relatively low compared to several other ASEAN countries. Based on data from the 2022 World Population Review, Indonesian milk consumption was recorded at 17.76 liters per capita per year, lower than Malaysia's 42.49 liters, Singapore's 46.1 liters, and Vietnam's 37.21 liters per capita per year. Therefore, she said the 2026 Indonesian Milk Day commemoration serves as a momentum to promote higher milk consumption and reinforce the national dairy industry across the supply chain. She added that boosting milk intake and strengthening the domestic milk processing industry are key to advancing human resource development in support of the Golden Indonesia 2045 vision.