As part of the government’s reforms of the dairy sector to boost earnings by farmers, President William Ruto has directed New Kenya Co-operative Creameries (KCC) to begin paying milk farmers Sh50 a litre beginning March 1 and ensure the price never fluctuates.
“From July 1, farmers will be paid every 15 days. This is how we will eliminate milk hawking, which arises when farmers are not paid for two to three months,” he added.
The Government is spending Sh5 billion modernising KCC to enhance its efficiency to meet the needs of farmers by bolstering KCC’s processing capacity to ensure it handles the entire volume of milk produced by farmers.
He made the remarks on Wednesday during the commissioning of the upgraded New KCC in Nyahururu, Laikipia County.
The President noted the Government will help farmers get quality animal breeds that do not consume a lot of feed to maximise profits.
He explained that the government will also enhance farmers’ access to seasonal credit through the Agricultural Finance Corporation.
“The government has allocated AFC Sh10 billion for this purpose,” he said.
At the same time, President Ruto assured farmers that they will get this season’s fertiliser on time at a subsidised price of Sh2,500.
“Investing in agriculture is the best way to create wealth and expand opportunities for the people and reduce the cost of living and food,” he said.
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua said reforms in the agricultural sector have been successful, citing improved earnings by tea, coffee, and milk farmers.
“The last bonus has been the highest in the history of tea farming in the country,” he said.
