- The new milk market is a relief to hundreds of dairy farmers who had been left in disarray after the exit of Brookside.
- Brookside closed its Wumingu milk cooling plant last month and exited the business in the area owing to low milk production.
Image: SOLOMON MUINGI
Taita Taveta County is in talks with the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC) to provide a ready market for milk from dairy farmers after the exit of Brookside Dairy Limited, Governor Andrew Mwadime has revealed.
He said KCC has already conducted a public engagement with dairy farmers in Wundanyi and agreed to start buying milk at Sh45 per litre.
Brookside closed its Wumingu milk cooling plant last month and exited the business in the area owing to low milk production.
“The county government is keen on strengthening relationships with stakeholders to attain enhanced agricultural production and incomes. We have brought KCC on board to ensure that dairy farmers have a stable market,” Mwadime said on Saturday.
He said the new milk market is a relief to hundreds of dairy farmers who had been left in disarray after the exit of the giant milk company.
However, Mwadime stressed the need to increase milk production, pointing out that the devolved unit is working on empowering dairy farmers to increase productivity and meet the required demand.
"There is a need for every farmer to double production because the demand is high. The opportunities in the dairy value chain are profitable and should be fully exploited,” the county boss added.
At least 10,000 smallholder farmers are engaged in dairy production in the county, creating business in the local market.
Statistics from the county’s livestock department indicate that the county has a milk production capacity of 19 million litres per year.
To boost the county’s economic growth, governor Mwadime said, his administration is prioritising transforming the agricultural sector through the empowerment of farmers’ cooperatives and market linkages.
“Agriculture is the most powerful instrument to end extreme poverty, boost economic growth, advance food security and attain climate resilience and sustainability,” Mwadime said.
Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation CEC Erickson Kyongo said that they are banking on intensified and subsidised artificial insemination services to help dairy farmers record an increase in milk production.
They aim to push the county’s milk projection from the current 19 million litres to 30 million litres annually.
Kyongo said the AI technology has significantly improved the quality of dairy breeds while milk production has increased.
He said the county government has supported dairy cooperatives to offer AI services to their members at an average commercialised rate of Sh1,300.
Further, the executive said that they are sensitising farmers to grow more foliage and utilise agricultural extension officers in a bid to double their profits.
The department in January distributed some 14 tons of pasture seeds to more than 1,285 farmers from at least 55 farmer groups in the region in a bid to boost livestock production.