Kiruhura farmers petition agriculture minister as milk prices fall from Shs1600 to Shs700 a litre

Diary farmers in Kiruhura district under their umbrella, Kiruhura District Farmers’ Sustainable Development Association, have petitioned the Minister of Agriculture, Frank Tumwebaze to intervene in the tremendous milk cut down prices.

This comes at a time when milk prices in the district continue to be slashed with a litre of milk said to have gone down from Shs1600 to just Shs700 a litre, in just a week.

Seeking government intervention, the diary farmers have petitioned minister Tumwebaze to intervene in the prevailing situation facing the diary farmers in Kiruhura and surrounding cattle keeping districts.

The farmers argue that it’s unfair for milk prices to be cut down when at the same time prices for most of other basic needs are skyrocketing.

The farmers also decry the shortage of water in the district attributed to the dry season that they say has dried up all their water points. As a result, the farmers say they have resorted to fetching water for their cattle, an alternative they say is expensive.

Further, the farmers stressed that the current price shoot-up of farm input commodities, resistant tick diseases and the severe dry season have hiked up milk production costs to between Shs950-1075 per litre. They say this is unfair considering farm gate prices have been cut down to Shs850-700.

The farmers, thus want minister Tumwebaze to intervene so that they can survive the prevailing economic hardships.

“The purpose of this letter is to inform you Hon Minister about the farmers’ situation and request for your immediate intervention so that farmers can survive amidst the current situation..” the farmers under their umbrella said.