The government has announced a ban on the importation of milk powder and the hawking of milk across Kenya in a move aimed at safeguarding local dairy farmers and ensuring consumer health.
According to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, the decision comes at a time when milk production in the country is at its peak. Kagwe stated that the measure seeks to protect the welfare of local farmers from unfair competition and prevent the circulation of unsafe milk products in the market.
“We also want to warn those unlawful importers of milk powder into the country that we have noticed what they are doing, and we will make them stop,” Kagwe said.
The CS added that some unscrupulous traders have been importing low-quality and unfit milk, which has led to health complications among consumers, particularly children. He noted that several mothers had raised complaints about children suffering from diarrhoea and other illnesses after consuming hawked milk.
“That is why we also banned the concept of milk hawking because mothers started complaining that their children were getting diarrhoea and others were getting sick. The milk industry must be properly regulated,” Kagwe emphasized.
Before the ban, Kenya imported milk powder mainly from Uganda, the UAE, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Oman. Milk powder, a dehydrated and non-perishable alternative to fresh milk, is often used in baking, cooking, and infant formula production.
The announcement follows the recent introduction of the Good Quality Milk Certification Programme, which will see farmers rewarded based on milk quality. Kagwe revealed that aflatoxin-contaminated animal feeds, particularly maize-based feeds, are the main cause of substandard milk.
“We must all produce good quality milk, and the farmer must be recognised for doing the right thing. Those who produce better will earn better,” Kagwe concluded.
