CAMEL DAIRY CREAMS THE PROFIT!

Camel dairy creams the profits.
By Sylvia Smith BBC, Mauritania

Camels are more like cats than cows, or so Nancy Abeiderrahmane believes.

Camels only release their milk when their young are present"They tolerate humans in exchange for food, but they can control whether they let down their milk or not."
But these temperamental animals are becoming a cornerstone of the local economy in Mauritania, thanks to a project that English-born Mrs Abeiderrahmane has set up to pasteurise and market their milk.
Camels used to be milked next to the road "on demand", with the risk of spreading disease in a desert country where temperatures soar as high as 50 C.
Although this is a long-established tradition, in the sweltering heat the milk quickly went off and was wasted.
Unlike cows, female camels need their young around them if they are to give a steady supply of milk.
So every mother camel wears a sort of bra to prevent the baby feeding whenever it wants.
Herds usually consist of about 100 female camels and each produces about 10 litres a day.
Quality
The semi-nomadic herdsmen bring the camel milk to one of the collection points that have been set up close to where they graze their camels.

Demand has grown over the years because we deliver it to thousands of corner shops and it has caught on as a refreshing and convenient drink with the public - Nancy Abeiderrahmane. The milk is measured and tested for cleanliness and quality, and the herdsmen receive an agreed amount per litre.
"Our scheme has helped slow down urban drift," says Mrs Abeiderrahmane.
"Herdsmen now have a steady source of income throughout the year. They don't feel the financial necessity to move into town."
But it is in the capital, Nouakchott, that the milk is pasteurised and packaged.
It is brought to a state-of-the art aluminium factory by tankers, and in the course of a few hours is turned into a tetra-packed modern product. "We customised standard dairy equipment to suit the special properties of camel milk," says Mrs Abeiderrahmane.
"Camel's milk is nutritious and low in fatAlthough the packs of milk are popular, in the early days there were hurdles to overcome.
Even the idea of selling milk to someone you didn't know seemed strange to the very traditional tribesmen.
But Mrs Abeiderrahmane persisted. "It's partly due to the fact that I think camel's milk is exquisite," she confesses.
"It is absolutely delicious and healthy."
Camel's milk has less fat and more vitamins than cow's milk. What's more, it makes very good long-life milk.
For Mrs Abeiderrahmane this super-healthy low fat camel milk has also proved that the country doesn't have to be dependent on imported milk.
It can hold its own against European imports and save Mauritania much needed foreign currency
"Given the right conditions pasteurised milk could be sold to Europe in the form of cheese," Mrs Abeiderrahmane claims.
"It's only European Union red tape and regulations that are holding us back. We need to meet certain standards because it is an animal product.
"Buyers from some of Europe's most prestigious food shops think the cheese is great. I'm sure it will appeal to the European taste for new and exotic delicacies."
Mrs Abeiderrahmane is hopeful of exporting the milk as cheese - to be known as camelbert.

BBC NEWS REPORT.