Waste Blamed On High Energy Costs

By Allan Rotich Posted 06 April 2006 @ 03:54 pm EET     Print     Reprint     E-Mail     Comments

Nairobi (IBTimes.com) - Speeding up rural electrification in milk producing areas will facilitate the establishment of coolers and increase earnings for farmers.

Kenya has about 204 milk coolers – including 11 owned by the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries – but many are not working, either because they are uneconomical or have broken down from poor maintenance.

The Draft Dairy Policy prepared by the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development says that the Government is exploring the use of alternative sources of energy such as solar, wind, mini hydro-plants and organic fuels.

The document recommends lowering of electricity tariffs to reduce the cost of milk cooling.

"The Government will also motivate investment in cold chain infrastructure by marketing co-operatives, private investors through the provision of incentives such as tax exemptions on imported equipment, says the document. Electric power expenses contribute a large share of the cost of milk cooling since electricity power tariffs are among the highest in Africa.

Milk collected from areas with poor infrastructure cannot reach processing plants within the recommended time of two to three hours culminating in spoilage, says the policy paper.

As a result some dishonest farmers use preservatives that adulterate raw milk and make it unsafe for human consumption.

About 30 per cent of the milk produced in the country goes to waste, owing to lack of coolers and marketing outlets, the chairman of Kitinda Dairy Farmers Co-operative Society Mr Julius Makhapila said yesterday.

Mr Makhapila, a former Kenya Dairy Board technical manager who was commenting on the recently revised Draft Dairy Policy said that milk production in the country drops by about 50 per cent during the dry season owing to lack of proper pasture management.