Government Bans Importation of Milk Powder and Milk Hawking to Protect Local Farmers
The Kenyan government has officially banned the importation of milk powder and the hawking of milk within the country.
This directive, announced by the Ministry of Agriculture, aims to safeguard local dairy farmers from market disruptions and ensure that locally produced milk is prioritized, especially during the current period of high milk production.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the government’s decision is part of a wider effort to stabilize the dairy sector and support local farmers who depend on milk production for their livelihoods.
According to Kagwe, the move will help prevent the flooding of the local market with imported milk products, which often lowers prices and negatively affects Kenyan farmers.
In addition to the import ban, the Ministry has launched a nationwide crackdown on unlawful milk importers and unlicensed milk hawkers.
Kagwe revealed that some of these traders have been bringing in substandard or contaminated milk products, posing serious health risks to consumers.
He noted that several cases of illness, including diarrhoea among children, have been linked to the consumption of such milk.
“We want to send a strong warning to those illegally importing milk powder into the country,” Kagwe said. “We are aware of your activities, and we will not allow them to continue.
The decision to ban milk hawking was made after mothers raised concerns that their children were falling sick after consuming unregulated milk.
It is our responsibility to make sure the milk industry is properly monitored and that every product in the market meets health and safety standards.”
Milk powder is a dried form of milk produced by removing most of the water content. It is widely used because it lasts longer than fresh milk and can be used in baking, cooking, and the manufacture of products like baby formula and confectionery.
Before this ban, Kenya imported milk powder from several countries including Uganda, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, France, Belgium, and Oman.
This latest announcement comes just a month after CS Kagwe introduced the Good Quality Milk Certification Programme.
The initiative aims to reward dairy farmers who supply high-quality milk with better prices than those producing lower-quality milk.
The programme seeks to motivate farmers to maintain high standards in milk production and discourage poor farming practices.
Speaking during the launch of the programme on September 30, Kagwe explained that milk quality in the country has been largely affected by contaminated animal feeds, especially those containing aflatoxins found in maize-based feeds.
He emphasized that these toxins easily transfer into the milk, making it unsafe for human consumption.
“The quality of milk we consume begins with the quality of feed our animals take,” Kagwe said. “Farmers must ensure that their feeds are safe and free from aflatoxins. We must all work together to produce clean, safe, and nutritious milk.
Farmers who do the right thing by ensuring quality should be rewarded accordingly. It is only fair that those producing better milk earn better income.”
The Ministry of Agriculture has assured the public that it will continue to enforce strict regulations in the dairy industry to protect both farmers and consumers.
Kagwe added that the government’s long-term goal is to create a self-sufficient dairy sector that can sustain local demand, guarantee safety, and provide fair returns for hardworking farmers across the country.
By combining strict quality standards, better farmer incentives, and the ban on unsafe imports, the government hopes to strengthen Kenya’s dairy industry and promote healthier, locally sourced milk for all citizens.
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