(NYERI, KENYA) – Milk supply in Nyeri has fallen sharply as farmers contend with high feed costs and a prolonged cold and dry spell. Some dairies have cut client numbers and reduced deliveries. The drop has also pushed up retail prices for a 500 millilitre packet by about KES4 to KES7, with most brands now selling at KES62 ($0.40 / £0.32) while others remain at KES65 ($0.42 / £0.33).
Meskins Dairy near Gatitu trading centre has reduced daily collection to 6,000 litres from 10,000 litres early this year. Operations Manager Jackson Maina said deliveries began falling in June and are now well below client demand. He said the only hope is for weather to improve with anticipated El Nino rains next month. That would allow pasture to regenerate and reduce reliance on costly commercial feeds.
Maina warned that unless conditions improve, the future of the dairy sector is at risk. He said high animal feed costs have forced many farmers to abandon milk production. The cold and dry weather has also affected Napier grass and other fodder, reducing output per animal. He added that stabilisation may not come until early January next year if the rains arrive.
Robert Wambugu, a manager at Senior Nyeri Dairy, said deliveries at the plant dropped to 25,000 litres in September from 30,000 litres early this year. The decline has forced the facility to lay off some staff until supply improves. Wambugu blamed the shortage on scarce pasture and expensive commercial feeds which he said are beyond what farmers can afford. He said the facility now closes at 5 pm after selling out remaining stock. Lower intake means lower deliveries to clients and lost earnings.
Supermarkets in Nyeri are also facing shortages. Some popular milk brands are missing from shelves. Samuel Kasyoki, a manager at Magunas Supermarket, said consumers are feeling the shortage at all points of sale. He attributed the drop to hard economic times brought on by higher animal feed prices. Brands like Royal, Kinangop, Naru and Mount Kenya that previously retailed at about KES58 ($0.38 / £0.30) now sell at about KES62 ($0.40 / £0.32). Only KCC and Brookside brands have kept prices at KES65 ($0.42 / £0.33).
Jacqueline Maigua, an employee at Chieni Supermarket, said the shortage has pushed up the cost of a 500 millilitre packet. Some brands previously sold at KES58 and now sell at KES62 while others are at KES65. She said some brands are missing from shelves in large quantities. Maigua said the increase is temporary and prices will come down once supply improves.
Kenya’s milk demand stands at 8 billion litres annually against production of 5.76 billion litres according to the Kenya Dairy Board. Milk production fell by 3.7% from 844 million litres in June to 81.3 million litres in July. The board said the decline is due to cold and dry weather and high dairy feed costs.