Milk producers under Farmers Milk Producers Association (Fampa) have asked government to exempt trucks transporting raw milk from paying toll-gate fees to ensure farmer benefit more from their sweat.
The milk producers said this at Malawi University of Science and Technology ground in Thyolo on Saturday during this year’s World Milk Day commemorations.
Speaking during the event, Fampa chairperson Foster Mulumbe said the milk producers face some challenges in their business such as rising cost of livestock feed.
“Another challenge that the industry faces is the issue of toll gates. We request government if they can reconsider that toll-gate fees should only be charged on finished dairy products, not the raw milk. If a processor is paying toll-gate fees based on raw milk, what it means is that the price that they should have paid the farmer is actually reduced.
“So, it is our prayer that one day, government will remove the toll-gate fee on raw milk and continue charging the fees on processed milk or the finished products,” he said.
Mulumbe also said they are discussing with milk processors to increase the price they offer for raw milk.
He said on average they sell raw milk at K401 per litre.
Mulumbe said: “But from that amount, K2 goes to the association as levy, so the actual price that goes to the farmer is K399 per litre.”
Commenting on the World Milk Day which falls on June, he said the day is important as it brings together milk producers to learn from each other by sharing their experiences.
Blantyre Agriculture Development Division chief animal health and livestock development officer Edwin Nkhulungo described the World Milk Day as significant as it recognises farmers’ role in producing milk which contributes to human health.
However, he acknowledged challenges local producers face.
Said Nkhulungo: “As government, our role is to help farmers whenever they face problems. We know there are problems like feeding of the animals, costs are high; taking care of the animals [like buying] drugs, veterinary services.
“As government, we provide a lot of services in treating the animals and taking care of the animals in animal production. The reason is that they should benefit by having more milk [for sale to earn better income].”
This year, the World Milk Day, which the Food and Agriculture Organisation launched in 2001, was celebrated under the theme ‘The significance of dairy in providing nutrition and nourishing the world’.
