Restricting imports will support local capacity for sustainable food security

Dairy is a showcase of a fast-recovering agricultural sub-sector, supported mainly by the decision to stop milk imports. Without unfair competition from imports, farmers are currently enjoying much higher producer prices (about Sh50 per litre), which has become an implied guaranteed minimum producer price that reflects true production costs.

Surprisingly, despite producer price increases, consumer retail milk prices have remained mostly unchanged. This milk intervention model should be replicated for all critical food security produce.