As we reported earlier, Chinese demand for milk and dairy products in skyrocketing. One of the largest growth dectors in cheese consumption. To help meet the expanded need for dairy products, the dairy industry may turn to an unusual producer of milk: buffalo!

China is home to 22.76 million buffalo – not Bison like we have in America – that collectively produce 2.65 million tons of milk annually, according to experts attending the Asian Buffalo Congress in China. Proponents of the buffalo milk contend that it contains more fat and protein than typical bovine fluid, thereby providing an ideal raw material for cheese production.

This isn’t unheard of, however; Italian cheese makers have relied on buffalo for their world famous mozzerella for centuries. China, currently a net importer of cheese, hopes to take a cue from these foremen of frommage to rectify their trade imbalance, perhaps becoming a cheese exporter should they harness the full potential of the buffalo herd.