Over 6,000 dairy farmers in Kirinyaga County are breathing a sigh of relief after the New Kenya Cooperative Creameries (New KCC) agreed to increase its daily milk intake from Kirima Dairy Cooperative Society to 65,000 litres, averting further losses that farmers had suffered in recent weeks.
The farmers had been facing significant losses after New KCC slashed its milk intake from 45,000 litres to 25,000 litres daily, leaving the cooperative with surplus milk and no alternative market. Many farmers were forced to discard excess milk, despite heavy investments in dairy production.
According to Kirima Dairy Cooperative Society Manager Wachira Chomba, the situation had pushed farmers to a crisis point. “We had nowhere to take the milk. Farmers were confused and disheartened after putting in so much effort and investment,” he said.
The crisis prompted an emergency meeting between Kirinyaga County officials, New KCC management, and the Kirima Dairy board. As a result, New KCC agreed to take up 65,000 litres of milk daily, effectively restoring and expanding its previous intake capacity.
Kirinyaga County Executive Committee Member for Cooperatives, Calbert Njeru, confirmed the development and praised the resolution. “This move will stabilize the sector and allow the cooperative to resume full milk collection from farmers. It’s a big relief,” he stated.
The Kirima management has since assured farmers that milk collection will return to normal and urged them to remain committed to dairy farming. Additionally, the cooperative is working to engage other partners to invest in value addition in order to prevent similar crises in the future.
However, concerns remain over the non-operational Kiganjo dry milk facility in neighboring Nyeri County, which was intended to serve as a buffer during milk oversupply periods. Despite substantial government investment, the plant remains idle, highlighting the need for long-term infrastructure solutions to support dairy farmers in the region.
Written By Rodney Mbua
