Crackdown on milk hawking in dairy sector reforms

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe during the flagging off 25 bulk milk coolers in Nairobi on May 20, 2026. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The government has announced a nationwide crackdown on milk hawking as part of sweeping reforms.

This is aimed at improving food safety, protecting consumers and restructuring Kenya’s dairy industry around formal collection and processing systems.

Speaking during the flagging off of 25 bulk milk coolers in Nairobi, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe warned that the sale of unregulated raw milk poses serious health risks to millions of Kenyans and continues to undermine the country’s formal dairy economy.

“Milk hawking must stop. It is dangerous, it is a health issue and it destroys the ability to create value-added dairy products,” Kagwe declared.

Kenya is one of Africa’s leading milk producers, generating more than five billion litres annually.

However, a significant portion of the milk is still sold through informal traders and brokers who operate outside regulated collection and quality control systems.

According to the Ministry of Agriculture, milk sold directly by hawkers often bypasses cooling, inspection and traceability procedures, exposing consumers to contamination and possible disease outbreaks.

The CS particularly warned parents against feeding children milk purchased from unregulated sources.

“If you have young children, feed them quality and traceable milk to avoid health issues such as diarrhoea,” he said.

The government says the dominance of informal milk networks has weakened dairy cooperatives, frustrated processors and denied farmers opportunities to earn more from value-added products such as yoghurt, cheese and milk powder.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe flag off 25 bulk milk coolers in Nairobi on May 20, 2026. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

Under the reforms, processors and cooperatives will now be required to strengthen milk traceability systems by maintaining records showing where milk is sourced, individual farmer production levels and movement of dairy products through the supply chain.

The crackdown comes as the ministry rolls out a dairy support programme involving the distribution of 230 milk coolers valued at approximately Sh1.43 billion to dairy cooperatives across the country.

Kagwe said the coolers would help reduce spoilage, stabilize milk prices and encourage farmers to channel milk through organized collection centres instead of relying on brokers and hawkers.

“As part of the reforms, the Ministry is distributing 230 milk coolers worth Sh1.4 billion countrywide to reduce spoilage, stabilize prices and support dairy cooperatives,” Kagwe announced.

So far, 95 coolers have already been distributed, with the remaining units expected to be rolled out in phases.

He said informal milk traders had continued to frustrate regulation efforts by selling milk directly to consumers without proper oversight.

“Many brokers are selling milk directly to consumers. Milk coolers will help organize farmers and reduce hawking,” he said.

Kagwe said the government was promoting local cultivation of yellow maize and soya beans used in animal feed production to reduce reliance on expensive imports.

At the same time, the ministry is scaling up access to subsidized sexed semen to improve dairy genetics and increase the number of high-yield cows in the country.

According to Kagwe, the subsidy programme has reduced the cost of sexed semen from Sh9,000 to about Sh1,000.

The CS also criticized poor livestock management practices in some parts of the country.

“Some farmers put cows in prison. The way we treat cows matters,” he said.

The government says the broader dairy reforms are intended to transform Kenya into a globally competitive dairy powerhouse while protecting consumers, creating jobs and ensuring farmers earn more from milk production.