Milk supply, prices stable — Livestock PS

The government has said that prices of milk are stable despite a drop in production in some counties due to drought.

According to the National Drought Early Warning Bulletin released in July by the National Drought Management Authority, milk production is on a worsening trend compared to the previous month.

The report showed that 11 counties including Embu, Garissa, Kajiado, Kilifi, Kitui, Marsabit, Meru, Nyeri, Samburu, Taita Taveta and Tana River are on a worsening trend.

Twelve counties namely Baringo, Garissa, Isiolo, Kajiado, Kilifi, Kitui, Laikipia, Marsabit, Meru, Tharaka Nithi, Turkana and Kwale have milk production below the long term average.

“The below normal milk production is attributed to poor rainfall performance for the 2021 long rains season. The current milk production status is below average as compared to a normal year,” the early warning bulletin indicated. 

Livestock PS Harry Kimutai said the price of milk is currently between Sh38 and Sh40 at the cooperative level and Sh33-Sh35 at the farm gate. 

Speaking to the Star during a phone interview on Thursday, the PS said the dairy regulations have helped to streamline the industry by providing the minimum price of milk.

“According to the regulations, cooperative societies are supposed to charge not more than Sh4-Sh5 in their operations. Now there is stability in the price and supply, where farmers supply and processors come and pick. Previously, processors were not picking milk from farmers because they had gotten cheap sources of milk, but today there is stability in the market and in the supply. If anything, processors are going round the country looking for milk,” Kimutai said.

He called upon investors to invest in the dairy saying with the sector well regulated, the investment should not go wrong.

“We are encouraging producers to enter into contractual agreements with producers, that each is guaranteed market and supply. With this kind of agreement farmers will be stable in terms of production and processors will be comfortable,” the PS added.   

He said the government is now restricting and controlling imports that are authorised, adding that recently, they nabbed cartoons of milk powder that was not authorised in the country.

“This was done by the dairy board with the support of anti-counterfeit agencies, security forces and soon the government shall be destroying them. The case is currently in court. We want to obtain the destruction orders from the court so that we show the public that indeed we are making sure that we protect the farmers,” Kimutai said.

-Edited by SKanyara