Kenya’s milk production has increased from 4.6 billion to 5.2 billion litres, while the value of dairy products has risen from Sh4.9 billion to Sh8.9 billion, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has said.
Kindiki said Kenya is now the leading exporter of processed milk in Africa, attributing the growth to government interventions aimed at improving agricultural productivity and making farming more profitable and predictable for farmers.
He spoke on Wednesday during the official opening of the Agriculture and Food Security Transformation Summit at the Jamhuri Park ASK Showground in Nairobi.
“We are making sure that agriculture is a more profitable and predictable business,” Kindiki said.
Guaranteed Milk Return Rises to Sh50
Kindiki said the guaranteed minimum return for milk had increased from Sh37 to Sh50 per litre.
“In the dairy sector, the guaranteed minimum return for milk has increased from 37 shillings to 50 shillings per litre, while milk production has increased from 4.6 billion litres to 5.2 billion litres,” he said.
He said farmers needed greater clarity on their production costs, access to markets and the income they could expect from their produce.
“The farmer needs to know three things: how much will it cost to produce, where will I sell, what will I take home in terms of income,” Kindiki said.
Government Targets Lower Farm Production Costs
The Deputy President said agricultural transformation required farmers to have access to affordable inputs, financing and extension services.
He also cited the importance of aggregation, storage, cold storage, processing and reliable markets in making agriculture more profitable.
Kindiki said the number of registered farmers had also increased, with the Government now having 7.2 million crop farmers and three million livestock keepers, compared with about 300,000 farmers four years ago.
Fertiliser and Seed Prices Fall
Kindiki said the price of fertiliser had fallen from Sh7,000 to Sh2,000 per bag, while the price of certified maize seed had dropped from Sh300 to Sh150 per kilogramme.
The cost of sexed semen used for artificial insemination of dairy cows had also fallen from Sh8,000 to Sh1,400 per dose, he said.
The measures, according to Kindiki, are intended to reduce farmers’ production costs and improve returns from agricultural activities.
The Deputy President said 8.9 million cattle had been vaccinated under an ongoing programme targeting 22 million cattle and 50 million small stock.
He said the vaccination programme was part of efforts to protect livestock and strengthen the country's agricultural and livestock sectors.
Kindiki also reported growth in Kenya’s meat export sector.
He said the value of meat exports had increased from Sh8.9 billion to Sh12.9 billion.
The Government has also completed 17 County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, which are being equipped to support value addition and agro-processing.
The facilities are expected to strengthen links between agricultural production, processing and markets as Kenya continues efforts to transform agriculture into a more productive and commercially viable sector.
