Yakutian authorities have earmarked more than $83m for the development of dairy cattle-breeding as part of a special 2009-2012 program, regional newswire SakhaNews reported today.

Dairy cattle-breeding reportedly accounts for 70% of all animal husbandry in the region.

It is expected that production will increase from today’s 29,000 tons of milk a year to 100,000 tons of milk a year by 2012, the report said.