MERU: Co-operatives and MSMEs Development Cabinet Secretary, Wycliffe Oparanya, has called on dairy cooperatives in Meru County to form partnerships to shield milk farmers from unhealthy competition. Oparanya emphasized the importance of market access and fair pricing for dairy farmers during a meeting with cooperative leaders and farmers at the Nyambene New KCC factory, stressing the need for collaboration with private dairy cooperatives to boost supply and production.
According to Kenya News Agency, Oparanya highlighted the underutilization of the Nyambene New KCC facility, which was built with a budget exceeding Sh500 million. He urged farmers to support the ongoing reform process within the corporation, noting that it has resulted in the timely payment to farmers. The CS set a 90-day deadline for the New KCC management to revitalize the entity by restructuring human resources, increasing the producer price per litre to Sh55, reducing the payment period to two weeks, and prioritizing farmer welfare.
In a
meeting with the Meru Central Dairy Co-operative Union Ltd. board, Oparanya underscored the potential of the dairy sector, commending the farmer-owned cooperative for processing over 450,000 litres of milk and supporting over one million livelihoods. Cooperatives Principal Secretary, Patrick Kilemi, reiterated the government’s commitment to enhancing farmer returns through the Bottom-up economic agenda (BETA), stressing the importance of good governance within cooperatives.
Mount Kenya Milk CEO Kenneth Gitonga expressed support for the government’s initiative to assist farmers in accessing markets and securing better prices. He affirmed the willingness of cooperatives to collaborate to provide farmers with local market outlets, thereby reducing transportation costs and maximizing profits. Gitonga emphasized that cooperatives are not in competition, as the demand for dairy products remains substantial in Meru and beyond.