Reprieve to farm**s as Ruto promises to reduce cost of animal semen by Ksh6,500

More than 30,000 dairy farmers in Meru County today had something to smile about after President William Ruto promised to lower the cost of animal semen used for breeding from Ksh8,000 to Ksh1,500.

Ruto, who was accompanied by his deputy Rigathi Gachagua to the 8th Meru Dairy Annual Field Day, said the government is devoted to establishing an animal semen processing centre in Kenya by the end of the year.

Meru Dairy CEO Kenneth Gitonga led the farmers in celebrating the move, adding that the government's initiative would enable the union to increase daily milk collection.

At the same time, Gitonga lauded the government for promising to lower the prices of animal feeds, saying this would enable the farmers to prioritize dairy farming in the region.

“Our greatest challenge is the high cost of animal feeds but the government is committed to improving agriculture in the country and double milk production. I am sure farmers will now prioritize dairy farming," Gitonga said.

The president said zero rating of duty on all animal feeds and raw materials as well as lowering the price of semen were among the measures aimed at improving milk production.

Addressing the farmers, Ruto noted that the government will wave duty for animal feed and raw materials so that they are all zero-rated in the next budget.

“The cost of heifers is very high due to the inaccessibility of semen but by the end of the year, we are going to establish a semen centre where we will be producing it here in Kenya instead of importing. The government previously spent Ksh1 billion for bull stations but we have allocated Ksh400 million for a semen machine to address this issue,” Ruto said.

Nicholas Kirimi, one of the farmers who attended the function, called on locals to consider rearing more dairy cows to help create employment and improve their living standards.

He at the same time called on the president to intensify the fight against eradicating cartels that exploit dairy farmers.

“Let the government keep its word about fighting cartels. We know some are hiding in the same government so we are telling the president not to spare anybody because these are the same people who killed the coffee sector,” Kirimi said.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mithika Linturi on his part said the machine is expected in the county in the next month and that it will have the capacity to produce 500,000 doses of semen.

Several other farmers congratulated the president for promising to intervene and have Mombasa County pay the union's outstanding debt of Ksh71 million that accrued during the tenure of former governor Hassan Joho.

"I will follow the former governor and county government to ensure they pay the union the money or else I deduct from the county funds exchequer,” Ruto said.