New KCC directed to increase milk prices to Shs.33 per litre –plus to dairy farmers

A sigh of relief has settled on every dairy farmer following
Wednesday’s government directive to the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (New
KCC) to have milk prices increased.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya ordered the milk
processor to increase milk prices from the current the Shs.25 to Shs.33 per liter.

Munya announced that President Uhuru Kenyatta’s directive
should be taken with immediate effect.

“Following the President’s directive I have authorized New
KCC to immediately start buying milk from farmers at Ksh33/liter,” said CS
Munya.

The CS also said that government agencies will be buying the
milk –stored in powder form –from the firm as a way of promoting local products
and increasing food reserves.

“The milk will be processed into powder for strategic food
reserve as well as for use by GoK agencies and as relief food. GoK agencies
will only buy local milk,” said the CS.

Dairy farmers across the country have been crying foul over low
milk prices from processors, with others threatening to stop the supply of the
milk.

In 2019, Brookside milk suppliers boycotted to supply the
company with milk, after it reduced milk price per liter to Shs.17.

The farmers also called upon the government to establish
measures to regulate milk prices in the country.