Milk production  on the increase

Milk production had slumped over the years when the country was undergoing economic meltdown due to illegal sanctions that some Western countries imposed resulting in the importation of dairy products.

CFU president Mr Ajs Kirk said output went up from three million litres to 3,5 million litres per month in 2010.
“Production has been on the increase,” he said.
“Dairy farmers are experiencing a positive trend despite power and stockfeed challenges,” he said.

Mr Kirk said production started peaking soon after adoption of multiple currencies in 2009 as prices of feeds stabilised and inflation did not erode earnings.

He said production levels were expected to reach four million litres per month by year end, adding that the decline in cases of stocktheft in the country had further boosted output.

Mr Kirk, however, said erratic power supply threatened the positive trend as a lot of milk was being lost due to lack of refrigeration.

“The power situation needs to be rectified to increase production and reduce the amount of imported products,” he said.
A stabilised macroeconomic environment and availability of rainfall in the last three seasons has vastly contributed to the improvement of fortunes in the dairy sector, which used to produce 21 million litres per month.

The dairy herd stood at 192 000 in 1991 but it has since tumbled to about                 22 000 countrywide.
Government is presently engaged in reversing the decline of the cattle herd which by 2008 stood at 5,11 million from 6,19 million in 2000.  — New Ziana.

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