COVID 19 EFFECTS TO DAIRY FARMING
At least
90% of every household in the world use milk hence becoming a key product in
our food chain .Narrowing down to Kenya itself normal production in the country
is usually at 63million but has dropped to 42 million liters per mouth ,with
demands stats standing at 54 million liters hence a deficit of 12 million
litres , this clearly indicates that milk production has been hit but not extensively
.Unlike other pandemics in the past this time it has brought about just a
slight imbalance in the dairy sector example
in the market as discussed below.
1.
Changes
of Consumer preference
Since
the pandemic began there has been an increased demand for long life dairy
products in Kenyan Market .Dairy products outlets such supermarkets and hypermarkets
have been buying large quantities of long-life products and especially the ultra-high
processed milk .This induced demand shock maybe due to the fact that with
uncertainties in the dairy market, buyers and consumers can minimize risk
associated with spoilage. In addition there has been a particular artificial buying
and hoarding of milk products by most retailers though prices haven’t changed
since scarcity hasn’t set in. (VAP includes
yoghurt and fermented milk ^mala”.
2.
Competitive milk prices for producers
Just
before detection of Covid 19 infections in the country, the government had
instructed its own processor New Kenya Cooperative Creameries {NKCC} to buy
milk from farmers at KES 33 per litre .The economy at the moment has some
instability and hence most only a very small group of cooperative could has
been able to pay its farmers competitively hence many turning to broker sales
who could at one time buy from the farmer at 40 shillings per litre, hence some
cooperatives losing their daily minimum production rates .
3.
Increase
in price for the feed mill products
As most raw materials that are used in concentrates production are imported there has been scarcity in raw materials because of the curtailed movement from neighbouring countries and increased in bureaucracy in cargo transport hence high prices..
4. More labour expenses in the processing plants
It
has also been noted the processors had to take precautionary measures in line with
the government directives and especially by employing more staff as the number
of work shifts increase. This wasn’t necessitated by the requirement for social
distancing but also by the increased supply to the processing plants and
deliveries to consumer markets.
In
conclusion ,we need to develop new inventions and research more aiming to
enhance tools that will allow economic
agents in the dairy system to react to changing conditions and issue stocks
alerts that will help reduce wastage and economic damage caused by destroying
good dairy products .
In
addition cooperatives should chip in sustainable linkages of input suppliers
,input donors and specialist like Agriterra and Narigp
AND dairy farmers who
will ensure stable supply of essential inputs of farms to improve production as
LIMURU DAIRY FARMERS COOPERATIVE SOCIETY has done .
Comments