Dairy sector boosted as New KCC commits to higher daily uptake

Mutai Kipngetich-KNA

Thousands of dairy farmers in Kirinyaga are relieved after the New Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC) pledged to buy 65,000 litres of milk from them every day.

New KCC will be buying the commodity from the 6,000 dairy farmers of the Kirima Dairy Cooperative Society to avert losses which farmers have incurred for the past few weeks.

This was confirmed by Kirinyaga CEC Member for Cooperatives and Trade Calbert Njeru, who spoke to the media after meeting representatives from Kirima Dairy Board and New KCC.

The milk processor had reduced the amount of milk it was buying from farmers from 45,000 liters to 25,000 litres daily, a move that has left farmers with nowhere to sell their milk.

He noted that the crisis has been there, and farmers have suffered due to the issue of the taking of milk leading to wastage.

It was recommended that the New KCC upgrade its timelines to give room for incoming milk haulers to deliver the product from the farmers.

“We have agreed that from today, they shall be taking the minimum 65,000 liters daily to address the backlog that was there because of our storage capacity capabilities of our cooler equipment,” Njeru said.

The CEC assured the farmers that all challenges will be addressed soonest as the county government continues with the other logistical operations to ensure no future milk wastage.

 The Managing Director of Kirima Cooperative Society Wachira Chomba said the challenge with logistics for the dispatch of milk resulted in a few liters of milk going to waste. Apologizing to the farmers, he noted normal supplies will resume, thanking the New KCC and county government for the timely intervention.

“With New KCC collecting 65,000 litres a day, our situation will be back to normal as soon as possible and we hope no other liter will be lost,” he said.

“We assure the public that the losses will be there, yes, but minimal, and we are trying to work around the clock. The little coins we make from the processed milk will safeguard the farmers from the losses,” Chomba added.

The cooperative is currently working on their own processing line, value addition and branding to expand the market.

James Njogu, dairy farmer, said the meeting solved the crisis and everything is expected to resume normally despite the minimal losses.