NAIROBI, Kenya — The government has warned milk hawkers against adulterating milk with water, chemicals and other substances as a drought-driven decline in dairy production leaves some shops and supermarkets struggling with reduced supplies.
Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) Chairman Genesio Mugo cautioned consumers against buying unpasteurised milk from unregulated traders, warning that some hawkers were allegedly adding substances to milk before selling it to unsuspecting customers.
“Buying milk from the farmers, putting other substances including water and chemicals and then extending the same for sale to the consumers” is unacceptable, Mugo said.
He warned that traders found adulterating milk would face the law.
Drought puts pressure on milk production
Livestock Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke said milk production declined by about 3.7pc between June and July, with August figures expected to show a further reduction.
He attributed the decline largely to a shortage of fodder caused by inadequate rainfall.
“The real issue is fodder pressure due to lack of rain,” Mueke said.
The PS said the drought was also affecting other countries in the region, increasing competition for animal feed and further pushing up production costs for dairy farmers.
The reduction in production has already affected supplies to processors, with some retailers reporting empty or sparsely stocked shelves.
During a media briefing on Thursday, Mueke said the government had consulted dairy processors on measures to restore milk supplies and support farmers through the current period of low production.
Government plans duty-free maize imports for animal feed
The government plans to work with animal-feed manufacturers to identify areas where feed stocks are available and facilitate distribution to dairy farmers through cooperatives and processors.
It is also processing plans to allow the duty-free importation of 500,000 tonnes of yellow maize for animal-feed production.
The maize is expected to provide raw materials for feed manufacturers while easing pressure on feed prices, which have risen as drought affects supplies.
The measure is expected to be gazetted next week, allowing manufacturers to begin importing the maize.
The government hopes cheaper and more readily available feed will help farmers maintain milk production and reduce the pressure currently affecting the dairy supply chain.
Government seeks to keep farmers supplying processors
Mueke said the government was also working to ensure farmers receive fair prices for their milk, arguing that better farm-gate prices could discourage producers from selling directly to brokers and informal traders.
Milk sold through informal channels reduces the volume reaching formal processors and can make it more difficult for the government and industry to monitor milk quality and movement.
The Kenya Dairy Board will monitor milk production and the movement of milk across the value chain as the government seeks to ensure processors have adequate supplies of raw milk.
Mueke said supporting farmers was essential to restoring production because cows cannot maintain normal milk output without sufficient feed and water.
Processors say shortage is temporary
Dairy processors have sought to reassure consumers that the current shortage is temporary and should ease once the rains return.
Kenneth Gitonga, chairman of the Dairy Processors Association and chief executive of Meru Dairy Union, said milk production had fallen by about three per cent but argued that the supply gap was manageable.
He said processors had agreed to purchase every available litre of milk from farmers at a farm-gate price of at least Sh50 per litre.
Gitonga said the industry expected milk supplies to improve within two to three weeks after the onset of rains.
“We have a small challenge, but it’s not as big as it looks,” he said, urging consumers to remain patient.
The processors’ position suggests that the industry expects the supply disruption to ease once rainfall improves pasture and feed availability.
KDB warns against panic buying
The Kenya Dairy Board has also cautioned consumers against panic buying, saying stockpiling could put additional pressure on already limited supermarket supplies.
Mugo urged consumers to purchase only what they normally require rather than accumulating large quantities.
“Just buy the normal that you require. There will still be milk tomorrow,” he said.
The government, however, has avoided giving a specific date for when supplies will return to normal, saying it will rely on daily production data to guide its response.
Mueke said production should recover rapidly once adequate rainfall restores pasture and farmers have enough feed and water for their animals.
Government considers milk stabilisation fund
Beyond the immediate shortage, the government is considering a longer-term mechanism to stabilise milk supplies during periods of fluctuating production.
Mueke said the proposed system could allow excess milk produced during high-production periods to be processed into milk powder and stored for use when supplies decline.
A revolving fund could potentially enable the government to purchase and process surplus milk before releasing it into the market during shortages.
The proposed mechanism could help stabilise milk prices while giving farmers greater confidence to invest in feed, better genetics and other productivity-enhancing measures.
Cooperatives face scrutiny over farmer payments
The government is also examining challenges within dairy cooperatives, particularly concerns over how much of the price paid for milk ultimately reaches farmers.
Mueke raised concerns over cases in which cooperatives purchase milk at more than Sh60 per litre but pass on only a small portion of the value to farmers.
“The State Department of Cooperatives is expected to issue a circular requiring cooperatives to operate within regulations and limit their margins for value addition,” Mueke said.
The government says greater transparency within cooperatives will be important in ensuring farmers receive fair compensation and remain incentivised to continue supplying milk through formal channels.
Milk safety concerns grow amid shortage
The shortage has also heightened concerns over the safety of milk sold outside regulated outlets.
With consumers facing reduced supplies in some shops, authorities are concerned that desperate buyers could turn to informal traders selling unpasteurised milk.
While unprocessed milk can be obtained directly from farmers, the government is urging consumers to use regulated supply channels and exercise caution over milk whose handling and composition cannot be verified.
The KDB’s warning against adulteration comes as authorities seek to prevent the supply shortage from creating an opportunity for unscrupulous traders to exploit consumers.
