TRANS NZOIA, Kenya, Feb 12 – Dairy farmers are set to earn more following quick interventions by the government to deal with a milk glut that threatened to wipe out higher prices, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said.
Mr Gachagua said the government had intervened by allocating Sh900 million to the Kenya Cooperative Creameries to buy the milk in order to stop the prices from dropping owing to the extra production.
Because of the intervention, milk prices will rise to Sh50 per litre up from Sh45 beginning March 1, 2024. The Deputy President said they seek to increase the prices to over Sh60 per litre in the coming months.
“As a government, we released Sh900 million to stabilise the prices in the milk sector after a glut following the heavy rains. The prices at Kenya Cooperatives Creameries will be raised from Sh45 per litre to Sh50 from March 1 and up to Sh60 in the coming months,” Mr Gachagua said.
The DP asked dairy farmers to supply milk to the New KCC to earn more.
Mr Gachagua spoke on Sunday when he attended a Holy Mass at St Andrew Kaggwa Catholic Church in Kwanza Constituency, Trans Nzoia County. He also presided over a fundraiser for building the new premises for the church.
The Deputy President also asked farmers in Trans Nzoia to increase acreage under maize saying the government had released adequate subsidized fertilizer which is being sold at Sh2,500 per 50kg bag.
“Trans Nzoia County is important in our country’s food security. The subsidized fertilizer is readily available here. We thank Governor George Natembeya for ensuring the last-mile distribution of the fertilizer,” said the Deputy President who discouraged the farmers against selling all their harvests asking them to keep some for domestic consumption.
At the same time, the DP warned teachers against sending home Junior Secondary School learners for lack of school uniform or desks saying stern action will be taken against them. He urged the teachers to allow parents enough time to buy the uniform for their children.
“Let them not send our children home over levies and unnecessary fees introduced at the school. Any teacher defying the government’s orders will face stern action,” he warned.
Mr Gachagua also called on leaders in Trans Nzoia to keep the existing unity in the cosmopolitan county for enhanced development.
“This is a cosmopolitan county with members of different communities living here. We thank the leaders led by the governor for maintaining peace. As people of Trans Nzoia, continue to love one another and peacefully coexist,” said the Deputy President.
Further, has asked leaders in the Western region to unite for the benefit of the people in the region.
“We congratulate the western leaders for the effort to unite the people. I call on the leaders to continue uniting the people and behind the President for the good of our country,” said Mr Gachagua.
The DP welcomed the move by Governor Natembeya to work with the government despite being elected on an opposition party.
“The governor did well to come to work with our President William Ruto. That is leadership. It is being pragmatic because it is in government where resources are shared,” added Mr Gachagua who was accompanied by National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula, Health Cabinet Secretary Susan Nakhumicha, Host MP Ferdinand Wanyonyi and Trans Nzoia Senator Allan Chesang, dozens of MPs and local leaders.
