Milk supply reduces
Sep 24, 2007
PRICES of milk and beef have gone up in Kampala due to a decline in supply from farmers, especially in the renowned cattle-rearing western region.<br>Kalidi Matovu, the general secretary of the Uganda Dairy Traders Association, said they get only 60% of the initial amount of milk they used to get.
By Chris Kiwawulo
PRICES of milk and beef have gone up in Kampala due to a decline in supply from farmers, especially in the renowned cattle-rearing western region.
Kalidi Matovu, the general secretary of the Uganda Dairy Traders Association, said they get only 60% of the initial amount of milk they used to get.
“The lactation period is ending among most cows. If you now need 10,000 litres, you can only get 6,000,†Matovu said.
He said the reduction in supply started in July and they spend two days to fill a single truck that carries about 10,000 litres.
“Previously, we would fill a truck in only one day.â€
Matovu said the price of unprocessed milk has increased from sh600 to sh800 a litre in Kampala, while farmgate prices have gone up from sh250 to sh370 per litre.
The price of Fresh Dairy and Alpha milk has also increased from sh1,000 to sh1,100 a litre.
A.G Gaggar, the managing director of Sameer Agriculture and Livestock, the processors of Fresh Dairy products, confirmed the fall in supply.
“Our farmers are not able to supply enough milk. We get less than 50% of what we normally get. We cannot even export to all our customers abroad,†he said.
Gaggar attributed the low supply to the recent dry spell that affected southwestern Uganda.
He said that normally, Sameer buys over 45,000 litres daily adding that they plan to increase the purchase to 85,000 litres.
Sources, however, said that a trader from Burundi had affected the milk supply when he agreed with farmers in western Uganda to supply him with 10,000 litres of milk per day.
The situation is made worse by the bad roads during the rainy season that hinder easy movement of trucks into the rural areas to collect the milk.
Matovu said he hoped the situation would improve in November when many cows are expected to give birth.
Meanwhile, beef prices have also gone up due to scarcity of cattle.
The cost of a kilogramme of beef is sh4,200 in upscale markets like Nakasero. The prices have been ranging between sh2,500 and sh3,500.
According to Musisi Mutebi, the secretary for operations at Kampala Meat Parkers, the increase in prices of cattle, hoarding and bad roads has forced the beef prices up.
PRICES of milk and beef have gone up in Kampala due to a decline in supply from farmers, especially in the renowned cattle-rearing western region.
Kalidi Matovu, the general secretary of the Uganda Dairy Traders Association, said they get only 60% of the initial amount of milk they used to get.
“The lactation period is ending among most cows. If you now need 10,000 litres, you can only get 6,000,†Matovu said.
He said the reduction in supply started in July and they spend two days to fill a single truck that carries about 10,000 litres.
“Previously, we would fill a truck in only one day.â€
Matovu said the price of unprocessed milk has increased from sh600 to sh800 a litre in Kampala, while farmgate prices have gone up from sh250 to sh370 per litre.
The price of Fresh Dairy and Alpha milk has also increased from sh1,000 to sh1,100 a litre.
A.G Gaggar, the managing director of Sameer Agriculture and Livestock, the processors of Fresh Dairy products, confirmed the fall in supply.
“Our farmers are not able to supply enough milk. We get less than 50% of what we normally get. We cannot even export to all our customers abroad,†he said.
Gaggar attributed the low supply to the recent dry spell that affected southwestern Uganda.
He said that normally, Sameer buys over 45,000 litres daily adding that they plan to increase the purchase to 85,000 litres.
Sources, however, said that a trader from Burundi had affected the milk supply when he agreed with farmers in western Uganda to supply him with 10,000 litres of milk per day.
The situation is made worse by the bad roads during the rainy season that hinder easy movement of trucks into the rural areas to collect the milk.
Matovu said he hoped the situation would improve in November when many cows are expected to give birth.
Meanwhile, beef prices have also gone up due to scarcity of cattle.
The cost of a kilogramme of beef is sh4,200 in upscale markets like Nakasero. The prices have been ranging between sh2,500 and sh3,500.
According to Musisi Mutebi, the secretary for operations at Kampala Meat Parkers, the increase in prices of cattle, hoarding and bad roads has forced the beef prices up.