8,000 milk farmers to open own processor in Nakuru

Over 8,000 farmers in Nakuru County are setting up a community milk plant at Piave in Rongai Constituency.

The Sh7.5 million Ngapia milk processor, set to start operations by next month,  is expected to improve farmers’ earnings.

The processor will compete with the largest plant in the county, Buzeki Dairy, the producer of the Molo Milk brand, situated at Mau Summit in Kuresoi North Constituency.

“The plant will initially have a 500-litre capacity of storage tanks and coolers. It will also have a 500-litre batch pasteuriser and 120-litre stand-alone milk dispensers,” said the project chairman John Kariuki.

It is targeting a capacity of 20,000 litres. The European Union has funded the project through the Community Development Trust Fund under the Sustainable Practical Programme for Africa (Suppa).

Mr Kariuki said farmers’ living standards would improve and hence reduce poverty levels in households.

“We began the construction of Ngapia plant in February this year. We expect that by the end of October it will be complete so that in November we launch our operations,” he said.

The plant stands on a half acre piece of land in Piave about 15 kilometres southwest of Nakuru town. It will benefit farmers operating in Piave, Ngata, Baruti and Kiamunyi locations in Rongai Constituency.

“The 8,820 dairy farmers who are expected to supply milk to the plant will not have to worry about fermentation of the milk or other losses that are normally incurred during the period of transportation and selling,” Mr Kariuki said.

According to Suppa managing director Peter Waweru, brokers have for many years taken advantage of farmers engaged in commercial dairies due to lack of proper marketing outlets.

“Brokers do not engage the farmers on any terms and conditions of agreement, which makes it difficult for them to claim payment,” said Suppa’s chief.

The processor’s long-term plan is to process dairy products such as yoghurt and cheese. Other services to be provided at the facility include artificial insemination and veterinary services.

Farmers will also be trained on dairy animal husbandry, breeding, disease control, record keeping, enterprise development skills, proper feeding and pasture and fodder production.

The establishment of the milk plant is an extension of the Ngapia Dairy Marketing Project founded in 2009 under the Smallholder Dairy Commercialisation Programme in Rongai Constituency.

The animal population in the catchment area stands at about 11,000 dairy cows, producing over 16,000 litres of milk per day.

Currently, Ngapia sells its members’ milk at a dairy shop in Njoro with a capacity of 1,000 litres of milk per day.