Government Announces Strict Measures Against Raw Milk Hawking

The government has announced strict measures to stop the sale of raw milk by hawkers across the country, saying the business is putting the health of Kenyans at risk and affecting growth in the dairy sector.

Speaking in Nairobi during the launch of 25 milk cooling machines at Uhuru Park, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said milk hawking must end because many traders sell milk that is not tested or properly monitored.

According to the CS, many families are consuming milk whose source cannot be traced, making it unsafe, especially for children.

“Milk hawking must stop because it is dangerous and affects the dairy industry,” Kagwe said.

He warned parents to give their children safe and quality milk to avoid diseases linked to contaminated milk, including diarrhea and other infections.

The government now wants dairy cooperatives and milk processors to improve tracing systems so that every litre of milk sold can be linked to a known farmer and verified source.

Officials say this move will help improve food safety while reducing the influence of middlemen who buy and sell raw milk without following health regulations.

The crackdown is part of wider dairy reforms being carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. The ministry is distributing 230 milk coolers worth Ksh1.43 billion to dairy cooperatives across the country.

So far, 95 coolers have already been delivered, while the remaining units will be distributed in phases.

The government believes the coolers will help reduce milk spoilage, stabilize prices and encourage farmers to use organized collection centres instead of selling milk through brokers and hawkers.

A livestock official from Kakamega County admitted that milk brokers have weakened formal dairy businesses by selling directly to consumers without proper quality checks.

Meanwhile, dairy cooperative leaders from Machakos County asked the government to support farmers with better dairy breeds to increase milk production.

CS Kagwe said the reforms are aimed at making Kenya more competitive in the global dairy market while protecting farmers from losses caused by unstable milk prices during rainy and dry seasons.

The CS also announced plans to reduce the cost of animal feed by encouraging local farming of yellow maize and soya beans through government-backed programmes.

In addition, the government is promoting dairy genetics reforms through subsidized sexed semen programmes meant to increase the number of high-quality dairy cows in the country.

The price of sexed semen has reportedly dropped from Ksh9,000 to Ksh1,000 under the subsidy programme.

Kagwe also criticized poor treatment of dairy cows in some farms, saying farmers should improve animal welfare and provide proper care for their livestock.

The government says the dairy reforms are expected to create more jobs in milk transport, cooling, veterinary services and dairy processing while helping farmers earn more from the sector.

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