Farmers carrying out dairy farming across the country have been assured of stable milk prices, despite fluctuating milk supply.
Dairy farmers expressed dissatisfaction over how KCC, a government owned corporation is purchasing milk from farmers at a lower cost as compared to private companies and hawkers.
But while addressing dairy farmers from three counties of the Central Rift, KCC director Kipkirui Lang’at stressed that milk prices was being affected by fluctuating milk supply across the country.
‘We got to recognise as we trade that this is a business, and business is based on supply and demand. Towards the end of last year we had a huge demand, between January and February there was hardly any milk so the prices of course went,’ said Lang’at.
Lang’at further added that the farmers entered into a new price regime from April due to adequate milk as compared when there is excess, though he assured farmers that KCC is maintaining stable prices since the new rains.
He however warned farmers not to sell milk to milk hawkers after farmers preferred prices used by the hawkers, saying that the said hawkers buy milk from farmers at a higher cost and interfere with the quality by adding water before reselling to consumers.
At the same time, Lang’at disclosed dairy farmers who deliver milk to KCC in groups get their milk bought at a higher price as compared to those who deliver individually, hence encouraged farmers to unite in groups which will in essence give them a stronger voice to raise complaints and demands.
