Written by Dennis Okumu and Violet Magoba
2012-06-18 16:33:00
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 Consumers are yet to benefit from the milk market after it was said to have been reduced by the New KCC with the consumers saying the price has remained the same with no change.
Consumers and the suppliers in Bungoma County say they have not noticed any corresponding fall in the price market price.
“The price of milk is still high as the days when the rains had not returned,’ said Baraza a milk consumer at Bungoma.
According to the residents, the price of milk should have reduced by now because there is enough grass and dairy feeds compared to the dry season when the dairy feeds were a problem.
They said that the milk prices are extremely high not only on the processed milk, but also the milk direct from the cows which residents sell at the market. The milk prices doubled during the dry season and the prices have not reduced even when the rains returned and farmers begun enjoying easy access to the cows feeds such as nappier grass.
New KCC announced a Sh5 reduction in the retail price of a half-litre packet; Brookside Dairies slashed its prices by up to Sh10 for a half-litre packet.
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“In terms of wholesale price, a considerable difference in the reduction of the prices can be seen. Before, a whole dozen of milk was costing 700/=, but now you can get it at around 685/= and 642/=. ‘But these prices have only reduced in writing, we still buy milk as expensive as it was before,” added Baraza.
The Industry regulator Kenya Dairy Board with the reduction of the prices, it had expected them to fall further because of competition between processors.
However, sellers of the milk in Bungoma Town have said that they are informed of the price change in the milk industry but they are complaining that their suppliers are still distributing the product to them at the usual, old and expensive price, forcing them not to react to the announced price changes. They are of the opinion that the prices of milk in the market are still too high.
‘We are forced to sell milk in high prices because we also buy it highly from our suppliers, the prizes have not reduced to us either.’ said a milk vendor. Switch to Our Mobile Site |
