Kuwait’s dairy sector rebounds after foot-and-mouth outbreak

KUWAIT – According to Al-Seyassah daily report, the daily production of milk and dairy products has reached 190 tons after months of heavy losses incurred by the livestock sector due to the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in Sulaibiya farms.

Abdulhakim Al-Ahmad, head of the Kuwait Fresh Dairy Producers Union, announced that farms are gradually recovering, thanks to the intervention of the Public Authority for Agriculture and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) teams that quickly vaccinated the cows in affected farms, thereby curbing the spread of the disease.

He affirmed that production gradually recovered, reaching about 190 tons per day in farms and in factories operated by national companies. He said the union recently held meetings with a number of officials, demanding compensation for farmers and breeders for the losses they incurred due to the spread of the disease.

He also affirmed the training of workers and raising their awareness on the preventive measures that must be taken in case of infection or if an animal is suspected of being infected.

He added that the union is also striving to realize its objective to secure a sufficient stock of all types of fodder to ensure the continuity of local production.

He underscored the importance of expediting the decision-making process to compensate farmers for the enormous losses they suffered due to the outbreak.

The FMD caused heavy losses for farmers and breeders in Sulaibiya Agricultural Area, leading to a decline in the daily production of milk and dairy products from 250 tons per day to 170 tons.

According to the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources, Kuwait, milk production had decreased from 250,000 litres per day to just 100,000 litres.

The outbreak has led to a significant drop in local milk production, estimated between 20 to 30 per cent, which has created a gap between supply and demand, exerting financial pressure on suppliers.

Salem Al Hai, Director General of the Authority, confirmed that 31 out of Kuwait’s 44 cow farms have reported FMD cases. While 952 cows have recovered, 71 have died from the highly contagious viral disease.

Concurrently, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has received formal reports from affected dairy companies indicating a 30 to 40 per cent spike in operational costs.

Dairy companies in Kuwait stated that the imbalance is also affecting milk distributed through the government’s ration card system, proposing financial compensation to offset the losses incurred due to rising production costs and falling sales margins.

In response, the Minister of Commerce, Khalifa Al-Ajeel, emphasised that any measures to address the issue must not involve increasing the retail price of fresh milk, either in the market or through government supply channels. He noted that the current crisis is temporary and does not warrant a permanent adjustment in consumer pricing.

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