By Denis Turyahebwa.
Hon Joy Kabasi, minister for Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries during a press conference at Uganda Media Centre on Thursday revealed that Uganda will join the world wide celebrations of the Dairy month themed ‘’Gender Inclusion for Wealth and Health in Milk Production and Consumption’’ organized by Dairy Development Authority (DDA),an agency under the Ministry. This year’s National celebrations will take place from 27-29th June 2018 at Soroti sports grounds,Teso Sub region.
She said the purpose is to pay tribute to contribution of Dairy farmers, processors, importers and exporters and their families who work hard every day to provide fresh, whole some milk products and promoting milk consumption.
Kabasi said the theme is geared towards acknowledging women’s significant contribution to Dairy Sub sector in particular and Agricultural sector in general and to food security and the country’s GDP. This also aims at promoting women’s economic empowerment in an effort to contribute to sustainable Development Goal five (Achieve Equality and Empower all Women and Girls).
‘’The Government has invested in increasing milk production and productivity, reducing post-harvest milk losses through rehabilitation of milk collection centres(MMC’s), enhancing milk values addition and access to milk and its products’ market,’’ the minister said.
According to Hon Kabasi, All the initiatives have led to tremendous dairy subsector growth at a current rate of 8% per annum. Growth has been and continues to be registered in milk production from 2.08 billion litres in 2015 to 2.5 billion litres in 2017/18. About 80% of the total national milk produced is marketed and 20% consumed by the farming households and 33% marketed milk is processed, 60% is marketed raw. 20 percen
Uganda has 100 operational milk processing companies with a total installed capacity of 2.7 million litres per day. Products processed include milk powder UHT milk, pasteurized milk, yoghurt, butter, ice cream, cheese, Ghee and casein that are exported to EAC, COMESA countries SADC, UAE, Nigeria, Syria among others.
