William Ruto Promises To Double Kenya's Milk Production In 5 Years: "We Will Market Of Brokers"

• President William Ruto said that his administration was determined to protect local farmers from illegal importers of milk
• He vowed to deal with brokers in the dairy sector in a bid to enable farmers to earn more profit from the venture
• Ruto announced that he was determined to double the country's annual milk production in the next five years

President William Ruto has announced that he will deal with milk supply brokers in his bid to double the country's annual dairy production.

Dairy farming in Kenya

The head of state promised that his administration would ensure Kenya's annual milk production doubles from the current 5.2 billion litres to over 10 billion litres in five years.

"We have put in place a solid plan that will ensure the production of milk increases from 5.2 billion litres in a year to over 10 billion litres in a year within the next five years," said Ruto.

According to the president, the dairy sector was fetching the country at least KSh 200 billion in a year, expressing confidence that the amount could double with proper planning.

Among his plans to ensure he attains the ambitious goal are the modernisation of Kenya Cooperative Creameries plants and the installation of milk coolers across the country.

William Ruto on milk brokers

This, he said, would enable farmers to process most of their and install milk coolers countrywide so that more milk can be processed and not only, to be sold as a raw product.

“We want to fetch more from value-added milk. Our farmers are not thriving because they have been selling raw milk. The country has enough facilities to enable us create more powdered and long life milk so that surplus production does not go to waste," the president said.

On Tuesday, August 8, in Kiganjo, Nyeri county, Ruto pledged to ensure that all policies and dairy sector reforms are anchored on what benefits the farmers first.

Dairy companies in Kenya

He vowed to eliminate all unscrupulous dealers taking advantage of the farmers' hard work.

“We will also rid the market of brokers so that farmers can earn maximum returns from their milk. We will protect our farmers from illegal importation of milk into the country," stated Ruto, in a statement that has been perceived as a thin-veiled attack to Kenyan milk processing companies.

Other interventions to transform the sector by Ruto include the removal of taxes on imported animal feeds and the reduction of breeding costs.