Uganda milk production falls amid drought & FMD

UGANDA – Milk production in Ntungamo District has fallen by more than half, with daily output dropping to about 40,000 litres from as much as 90,000 litres during the rainy season, according to authorities.

The sharp decline has been attributed to prolonged drought, which has depleted pasture and water sources, as well as Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD), which has affected cattle across the district.

Dairy farming is a major economic activity in Ntungamo, supporting thousands of farmers, traders, transporters, processors and other players in the value chain.

Ntungamo District Production Officer Dr Yake Basulila said the district previously produced about 65,000 litres of milk per day during semi-dry seasons and up to 90,000 litres during rainy seasons.

“At the moment, we are challenged and getting to our lowest of 35,000 to 45,000 litres, an average of 40,000 litres. The long dry spell has also affected the availability of pasture. The challenge of FMD and also the water distribution patterns have greatly affected the milk volumes,” Basulila said.

For the past eight months, Ntungamo has battled FMD, prompting authorities to restrict the movement and sale of livestock and their products as part of efforts to contain the disease.

The restrictions have affected farmers’ access to markets, and some have also lost animals to the disease. The situation has been worsened by the prolonged dry spell, which has reduced pasture and water available to cattle.

Authorities said farmers endured some of the most difficult conditions from April following intensified FMD outbreaks that escalated in February and March.

With the quarantine lifted this week, farmers are now receiving between Shs1,200 and Shs1,400 per litre of milk, according to stakeholders.

The shortage has intensified competition among small-scale milk dealers and large collection centres, with traders competing for increasingly limited supplies.

Western Uganda dairy belt under pressure

The situation in Ntungamo is emerging as part of a wider supply problem affecting western Uganda, one of the country’s major dairy-producing regions.

Mbarara City authorities reported that daily milk collection had fallen from about 20,000 litres to between 5,000 and 8,000 litres, with prolonged drought and livestock diseases blamed for the decline.

Mbarara City Production Officer Dr Moses Amanyire said the shortage had pushed retail milk prices to about Shs2,500 per litre from Shs1,200, while farm-gate prices had risen from about Shs900.

He said the decline was largely caused by shortages of pasture, animal feeds and water.

The supply squeeze has also affected milk collection and processing facilities in Mbarara, with some centres shortening their operating hours because of inadequate supplies.

Mark Wamala, the quality manager at Lakeside Dairy Ltd, said factory intake had fallen from an average of 200,000 litres a day to about 120,000 litres.

The developments in Mbarara and Ntungamo are raising concerns over the resilience of Uganda’s milk supply chain, given the importance of western Uganda to the country’s dairy industry.

Continued production losses in the region could put further pressure on processors and consumers if supplies do not recover.

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