More milk goes down the drain as firm closes

By James Munyeki

More than 10,000 liters of milk has been destroyed at Ol Kalou Dairy in Nyandarua Central District.

This follows the failure by the New Kenya Corporative Creameries (KCC) to collect the milk from the depot since Tuesday.

The estimated cost of the milk wasted yesterday is Sh500,000.

Depot manager Josephat Ongw’ang’a said the delay in collection had led to the management of the dairy to decide to dispose the milk.

He said the dairy premises would remain closed until

New KCC promises to collect the milk as agreed in their contract.

"We signed a contract with the company that it will be purchasing all our milk, but it seems they have now breached it. That is why we have been forced to dispose the milk that has been lying in our coolers for the last two days," he said.

Jeopardy

Mr Ongw’ang’a said the milk sector in Ol Kalou town and its environs lay in jeopardy, as it was not clear whether New KCC would resume its collection.

"We have been consulting with the top management of the company, but their promises are not forthcoming. We will just have to await their decision as farmers incur heavy losses," noted the manager.

The incident led to protest from farmers who said they had been forced to incur unexpected heavy losses. Through their spokesman Wahome Kamoche, who is also the Nyandarua Kenya National Chamber of Commerce chairman, they urged the Government to take action against the top management of New KCC.

The farmers demanded the reinstatement of former New KCC Managing Director Francis Mwangi, saying his exit would lead to the collapse of the dairy sector.

"We want action taken against those interfering with the running of this company. Farmers in this region have in the last one month incurred heavy losses," he said.

Mr Kamoche said farmers wanted the buying price returned to Sh26 from the recently enforced Sh20 per litre.

"This move is aimed at crippling the sector. We want the President and the Prime

Minister to intervene and save the company," said Kamoche.