Dairy farmers in the Eastern Province have been urged to shift from traditional farming to business oriented farming to satisfy the growing milk market.

This was said by Jean Claude Musabyimana, the Minister of Local Government during the closure of a week-long campaign aimed at sensitizing dairy farmers to increase milk production in the province.

Statistics show that there are more than 500,000 cows in the province which produces 200,000 liters of milk daily which is far less than the estimated target of 2 million liters daily.

"Dairy farmers should change their mindset, they have the capacity to fully satisfy the market if they can put measures in place including proper maintenance of farms, use of veterinary services, planting and stocking a variety of pasture and water management at farms,” Minister Musabyimana said.

The week-long campaign left 13,433 cows vaccinated, 543 cows insured and more than 130 ha of different varieties of pastures planted. Besides that, farmers were also been urged to stock grass from agricultural leftovers such as maize, beans, soybeans as they are a good means of feeding animals during dry seasons, with promises that the province will soon receive 10 bailer machines with a 50% subside to help in stocking pastures for farmers.

Frank Ngwije, a dairy farmer in Nyagatare district says that dairy farming is a profitable business given the income he gets from his 24 cows he rears on a 19ha farm.

"I make good profits, but I will have to double it through correcting a few things on my farm like water management which has been a challenge to me so far, during dry seasons, it has been challenging to satisfy the cattle due to limited water access which affects the quantity of milk I supply to our Milk Collection Center,” Ngwije said.

In an interview with The New Times, James Biseruka, the Managing Director of Inyange Industries said they have deployed a team that is working with dairy farmers in the province on a daily basis so as to increase their supply,

"We have signed a contract with 36 farmers who supply up to 50 litres of milk in the province with an aim of helping them increase their production,” Biseruka said.