The government, through the new Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC), is set to build a Sh750 million milk processing plant in Narok County to boost milk productivity and farmers’ income.

Co-operatives Cabinet Secretary, Simon Chelugui (pictured) said the government seeks to wipe out middlemen who exploit farmers by buying produce at a low cost and later selling them at almost double the price, causing farmers to incur huge losses.

The CS who is also in charge of MSMEs Development directed the New KCC Chairman David Maina and CEO Nixon Sigey to oversee the sale of milk in the county, even before the processing plant is built, so that farmers cannot be exploited.

Standard buying price

 “By building the factories, we will be eliminating hawking of milk where farmers sell a litre of milk at less as Sh30. The standard buying price will not be less than Sh50,” he said.

Chelugui disclosed the plan during a farmers meeting held at a Narok hotel and attended by Narok Governor Patrick Ntutu and County Commissioner Isaac Masinde. He identified other areas where similar milk factories will be built as Mogotio and Kabianga

“We target to increase our daily milk production as a country from 1.5 million litres to 4.5 million litres by empowering farmers to do more production,” Chelugui reiterated.

The CS said the initiative follows President William Ruto’s directive that his ministry implements a milk factory in the county, adding that the president will be launching the construction of the factory in a month’s time.

He expressed confidence that Narok County has the potential of producing over 100,000 litres of milk daily, owing to the favourable climatic condition and big parcels of land. Apart from building the factory, Chelugui announced that the State will build a model dairy farm, adjacent to the processing farm, that will act as a training ground for the farmers.

“We want to empower Narok farmers in all ways so that they can lead in milk production in the country. The milk in Narok is known to be of high quality, which is recommended in the international markets,” he said.

Governor Ntutu said the county government had set up 30 acres of land to put up the factory, saying it will be a game changer for the residents as the farmers will have market for their milk as well as many job opportunities.

“Some 200 people will be employed directly while another 1, 000 will be employed indirectly. This will reduce the rate of joblessness in our county as almost all these people will come from our county,” he said.