Taveta milk yields on the rise

Dairy farmers in Taita Taveta are reaping the benefits of investing in fodder conservation and water harvesting for their animals.

Stakeholders in the dairy value chain in the country said this can be seen in the growing milk volumes in the area.

The county’s department of agriculture and livestock is collaborating with milk processor Brookside Dairy to train smallholder farmers on fodder production, animal breeding and ways of maintaining milk quality from the farm gates to the collection centres.

Brookside Dairy Director of Milk Procurement and Manufacturing John Gethi said at the weekend the processor’s Wumingu milk cooling plant, on the outskirts of Wundanyi, is currently handling more than 5,000 litres of milk per day.

He said during a capacity building session for farmers in the area, the intake is expected to increase with the current rains.

Mr Gethi said a number of farmers in the Coast region have adopted dairy farming due to assured income from milk sales to the formal market.

He urged farmers to continue marketing their milk through formal sector players like processors.