Nyandarua farmers protest reduction of milk prices

 

NYANDARUA, KENYA: Farmers in Nyandarua County have protested move by local dairy companies to reduce the purchase price of the commodity.

The companies are now buying a liter of milk at Sh 25 from the previous Sh 30.

This is despite the high demand of the commodity due to the current dry period in the area.

Farmers who spoke to The Standard said that the move took effect two weeks ago.

Jane Muthoni regretted that they have now been forced to incur heavy losses as a result.

“There was no explanation given by the management of the dairy processing plants where we deliver the milk. It took effect simultaneously in all dairy plants,” she said.

She noted that the farmers are incurring losses totaling to millions of shillings as food prices for the livestock have not reduced.

“We need help from the government as hay prices and other food for our animals keep on increasing due to the current drought .We do not understand why they dropped the milk prices, “she noted.

John Njenga, a dairy farmer in Pondo village wondered why the milk prices reduced and yet the commodity was on high demand.

“It is commom sense that when the commodity is on high demand, the price goes up. We are experiencing the opposite in Nyandarua,” he observed.

Local leaders led by Nyandarua woman MP Faith Gitau have now called for the government’s intervention.

She blamed the intermediaries of exploiting farmers.

“They are taking the advantage since not all farmers are able to drop their milk to the local dairies. The government must come to the rescue of the farmers and control the dairy sector,” she noted.

She said that most of the farmers in the region relied on milk production and if the sector collapsed, the region would remain poor.