Revamped Meru animal feed plant cuts farmers' costs

Friesian dairy breed cow ready for milking   at Mary Mutisya's dairy farm in Muthetheni Ward , Masii ,Machakos County during a tour by Global Centre on Adaptation ,CEO , Patrick Verkooijen and his team ,of the women's groups nominated as centres of excellence in combating the challenges of climate change using digital technology in farming . January 29th,2023.[FILE,Standard]

The Meru Dairy Cooperative Union chief executive Kenneth Gitonga says the expanded Sh486 million Meru Maziwa Millers at Mitunguu will significantly reduce production costs.

Speaking when the union received equipment for the dairy feeds factory in South Imenti, Mr Gitonga said farmers have something to celebrate since it will cut their cost of production by half.

Cooperatives Principal Secretary Patrick Kilemi and his forestry counterpart Gitonga Mugambi, Meru Deputy Governor Linda Kiome-Gitonga, County Commissioner Jacob Ouma and dairy societies officials witnessed the arrival from abroad of the new equipment to be installed in South Imenti Constituency.

Mr Gitonga said the cooperative union was processing 640,000 litres daily, but is optimistic that with the new mill, they will hit a target of one million litres daily.

“We will start with a (manufacturing) capacity of 10,000 tonnes. In a day, it will be able to do about 20 lorries (of feeds). This will serve Meru farmers,” Gitonga said.

Noting that the Meru dairy cooperative union was now the country’s biggest processor, Gitonga said a second phase of expanding the feed production line will cost another Sh200 million.

President William Ruto, whose administration contributed Sh200 million for the factory, is expected to officially launch the project.

“We are going to be able to manufacture enough feeds to further empower dairy farmers in Meru. Dairy feeds constitute 50 per cent of production costs. We are now going to be able to produce quality feeds for our livestock and our milk will be of high quality and safe,” Gitonga said.

“We are currently processing 640,000 litres per day. Our target is a million, and with the coming of the feed factory, we are going to hit the target.”

Igoji Dairy Society Chairman Charles Kaburu said farmers expect a 90-kilo bag of feed to cost not more than 2,500. 

DG Gitonga noted that the focus now is on the production of raw materials to feed the factory, which presents another income stream for farmers.

“As a county government, we are supporting dairy farmers in empowering them to produce maize. We have distributed maize seeds, which will be part of the raw materials for the animal feeds. We want precision feeding for our dairy livestock,” she said.

PS Kilemi noted that most of the milk for the processor was being delivered by farmers from Central Imenti and South Imenti constituencies and urged the cooperative management to create awareness and empower farmers from the other parts of Meru, including the miraa-growing Nyambene region.

“Some of the biggest beneficiaries of the feeds factory will be the local farmers because there will be a need for maize, soya beans and other raw materials, and it will be upon farmers to supply that,” Mitunguu MCA Evans Mawira said.

Gilbert Kiruja, a farmer affiliated to the Kaweru Dairy Society, said they had for a long time been at the mercy of exploitative commercial feed retailers, but now, with the mill owned by farmers will be greatly reduced.