Milk shortfall persists despite improved output
Friday, March 01, 2024 | 640 Views |
Rising hopes: Government has plans to boost the country’s dairy output PIC: GETTY IMAGES
Figures disclosed by Agriculture Minister Fidelis Molao in Parliament this week, reveal that local output constituted approximately 10% of national demand last year, a decline from the previous average of 12%.
Despite an improvement in milk production, with local farmers producing 5.9 million litres between April 2023 and December 2023 compared to 1.9 million litres in the same period in 2022, challenges persist.
Acting Agriculture Minister, Edwin Dikoloti, is right in saying opening an export-ready facility whilst Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) is still spreading would risk getting the whole country blacklisted before a single carcass leaves the door.A ban like that would break the already stressed nation. So, the postponement, painful as it is, is the right thing to do. The local economy is being squeezed from both ends. FMD has already slammed the door...