CS Kagwe urges dairy farmers to boost milk output for processing plant viability

KENYA – 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐂𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐲 (𝐂𝐒), 𝐌𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐡𝐢 𝐊𝐚𝐠𝐰𝐞, has urged dairy farmers in Tharaka-Nithi to increase milk production as the government moves to support the establishment of milk-processing and value-addition facilities in the region.

Kagwe said the county currently produces about 57 million litres of milk annually, which he noted was insufficient to sustain a milk processing plant at full capacity.

Additionally, he insisted that increasing milk production would require farmers to adopt high-yielding dairy breeds, improve animal feeding and embrace modern breeding technologies.

“The first thing is to increase milk production. Fifty-seven million litres is not enough to sustain a processing factory at full capacity,” Kagwe said.

He clarified that while conventional semen previously cost about US$54.10 (KES7,000), sexed semen was priced at approximately US$69.57 (KES9,000), noting that government support had helped make sexed semen more accessible to farmers.

Kagwe urged farmers to make greater use of sexed semen across the county to increase the number of productive dairy animals and improve milk yields. He, however, said improved breeds alone would not be sufficient unless the cost of animal feed was addressed.

“The thing that drives the cost of milk production, and ultimately determines whether a dairy farmer or investor makes money, is the cost of animal feed,” he said.

Kenyan dairy shifts to quality-based milk payments

The move comes after the CS announced that farmers will be rewarded based on milk quality, including protein and butterfat content, to support value addition in the dairy sector.

The CS said the reforms are driven by rising demand for products such as cheese and yoghurt, which depend on milk quality rather than volume. Kagwe noted that the transition will be gradual because milk-testing equipment is not yet available at all collection centres.

He urged farmers to prepare for the changes and join cooperatives to improve bargaining power and access better markets.

Speaking during the annual general meeting of Mukurweini Wakulima Dairy Limited in Nyeri County, Kagwe said the reforms will see farmers rewarded not only for the volume of milk they deliver but also for its nutritional quality, including protein and butterfat content, as the country seeks to strengthen value addition in the dairy sector.

To receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa, the Middle East and around the world, SUBSCRIBE HERE.