Dairy farmers’ group to talk with big firms of the milk industry
What you need to know:
- The initiative is spearheaded by the Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme with the blessings of the national government. It might force the leading milk processors in the county — Brookside, New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC), Happy Cow and Daima Dairies — to change their milk pricing regime.
- Brookside, which commands over 45 per cent of the national raw milk market, has more than 50,000 contracted local farmers, whom it pays an average of Sh500 million annually.
The privilege enjoyed by big dairy firms to dictate milk prices for farmers in the county could soon end after the farmers resolved to form a County Dairy Federation to negotiate rates.
The initiative is spearheaded by the Agricultural Sector Development Support Programme with the blessings of the national government. It might force the leading milk processors in the county — Brookside, New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC), Happy Cow and Daima Dairies — to change their milk pricing regime.
Brookside, which commands over 45 per cent of the national raw milk market, has more than 50,000 contracted local farmers, whom it pays an average of Sh500 million annually.
“For a long time, dairy farmers in Nakuru County were reduced to spectators when it came to the decision to determine the price of milk, and this has seen them being exploited by the major processors,” said Mr Hilary Ng’eno, the Nakuru County Value Chain Development Officer.
Besides fighting for a fair price for their produce, the federation will address other challenges slowing down milk production — such as marketing, agro-chemicals and purchase of semen for animal husbandry.
Speaking to the Daily Nation yesterday, Mr Ng’eno said the big milk processors pay farmers between Sh30 and Sh20 per litre of raw milk delivered but the price keeps fluctuating.
“This imbalance in payments will now be a thing of the past as dairy farmers in Nakuru County will speak with one voice,” said Mr Nge’no. “Never again shall our farmers suffer poor milk prices that are determined by processors without their input.”
At least 84 milk marketing organisations, self-help groups and cooperative societies in the region unanimously endorsed the initiative. The farmers also resolved to set up several central collection points and install cooling facilities for their produce.
“We want those processors buying our milk to collect it at a central point and not from individual farmers,” said Mr Ng’eno. “They will pay a uniform price that we shall negotiate with them so as to reduce incidences of exploitation, which we have endured for a long time.”
