More than 42,000 cows from 10,000 farms from the six most producing sectors of Kayonza District produce more than 75,000 litres of milk, official District statistics indicate. However, as noted, only 20,500 litres are recorded at milk collection centres in the District, each day.

As reported, informal selling of milk brings about a difference of more than 55,000 litres, daily. The situation hinders the attainment of the required target, at least 100,000 litres of milk needed from the district by Inyange Industries, officials say.

ALSO READ: Rwanda seeks to increase milk production by 34% in one year

Dairy farmers, including Martin Murindabigwi, blame the situation on a number of factors.

"Some milk suppliers stopped supplying milk to the collection centers due to a number of reasons such as poor transport systems, lack of trust among farmers and collection points due to the previous bad record of missing payments to farmers,” Murindabigwi said.

"Lack of market has also been an issue because milk collection centers could not afford the quantities we have to offer, hence, the informal trading of milk. We request Inyange Industries to assure us of a stable market and ask milk collection centers to collect our produce from the farms. I believe if this is done, it will increase the quantity of milk received at the centres.”

Frida Murungi, a member of Mwili Milk Collection Center, indicated that absentee land owners and cattle keepers have a hand in the fact that milk centres don’t get supplied.

"The milk, instead of being sold in a proper way, you find that employees who take care of the cattle decide to sell the milk in a way that does not follow the right channel. We are urging the cattle owners to monitor things carefully so that milk collection centres are properly supplied with milk.”

Kayonza District Mayor, John Bosco Nyemazi, said: "Dairy farmers should change their mindset and instill professionalism in their business; including formal trading of milk.

"We urge farmers’ cooperatives to work closely with milk collection centers and third parties in the business to increase productivity and limit quantities of milk sold informally.”

Nyemazi noted that the current situation not only hinders the attainment of required targets, but also the quality of milk distributed through informal trading might not be good for consumers’ health.

Nyemazi said Inyange is in the process of signing contracts with milk collection centres to collect the milk. Currently, it is noted, they are only working with one out of the five milk collection centres in the entire district.

Farmers agreed to use available opportunities including government subsidies to avail bailer machines, water management systems at their farms and proper use of the farms.

The Deputy Director General of the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), Dr Solange Uwituze said: "RAB is in discussions with milk collection centres to have private veterinarians who will facilitate the process, these private veterinarians will form cooperatives and have required training from RAB, hence a decentralized service delivery to milk producing farmers.”