RUHANGO/NYANZA – On a relatively hot day in one of the rural parts of Ruhango District, Florence Mutuyeyezu, awaits local farmers to deliver their produce at Kabagali milk collection centre, that is owned by a local cooperative. Normally, this is the customary peak period in the production of milk. It is around 1:00 pm; when Mutuyeyezu expects to take delivery of several litres of the produce. But alas, a few hours later, she has to close shop as only a few farmers do so throughout the day. Mutuyeyezu blames the turn of events on dairy farmers who prefer to sell their produce to middlemen, who, in turn, sell it to milk vendors in various trading centres."We have a capacity to treat about 25,000 litres of milk per day, but we regularly get less than 300 a day,” she laments."Livestock farmers prefer to sell their milk yield to vendors who pay them in cash rather than to us as we pay them on monthly basis”, Mutuyeyezu observes. "Once paid on monthly basis, the money can then help them to invest in other activities, thus boosting their incomes and improving their living conditions,” she says playing down the issue of competition as the reason why they did so.A mini-survey conducted in Ruhango and Nyanza districts revealed that a number of dairy farmers prefer to sell their raw produce to local vendors rather than the collection centres. A dairy farmer in the area, Eric Mbarushimana, says this is necessitated by two basic reasons including the need for immediate cash and payment delays in some milk centres to disburse the money."Farmers need money not only to address their basic needs at home but also to purchase animal feeds and drugs. Selling milk is one way of getting the much needed revenues,” Mbarushimana explains."You cannot wait for a whole month while someone else is paying you on the spot.”Apart from affecting milk quality, The New Times established that by selling their produce to middlemen, farmers receive less money compared to milk collection centres. The latter are normally equipped with coolers to disinfect milk.In Bweramana sector of Ruhango district, farmers receive Rwf 180 for a litre of milk sold to a local milk collection centre while middlemen buy it at Rwf150.Health risksIn a bid to boost quality of milk and avoid associated  risks, the government has put up  milk collection centres that are run by cooperatives.The centres that are spread across the country have the capacity to conduct milk quality tests such as bacteria and acid as well as sediment and milk density tests before the beverage is sold to consumers or larger processing plants. They can also conserve milk for longer periods without compromising quality.But even after the establishment of the centres, a major part of the dairy produce is still sold via informal channels to milk bars, shops and kiosks.Milk sold informally may potentially be contaminated with pathogenic bacteria due to adulteration with poor quality water, high temperatures that favour rapid multiplication of bacteria, lack of appropriate pasteurisation equipment, among other factors.A veterinary expert, Alexis Ndayisaba, says consumption of poor quality milk is hazardous to the consumer. He cites diarrhoea and digestive problems as the most common direct consequences of this, but cites tuberculosis the most extreme threat."Milk is a nutrient-rich natural beverage once it is well treated but it becomes a health risk when the opposite happens,” he warns.According to the vet, milk quality begins with the care provided to animals, the milking process and equipment used as well as the transportation process.The coordinator of Livestock Infrastructure Support Programme (LISP) at the Ministry of Agriculture Dr Michel Ngarambe, recognises the existence of the problem affecting the functioning of the collection centres which he attributes to the current methods, habits and practices of milk marketing.He notes that such a trend compromises efforts to improve the quality of milk in the country."The most affected collection centres are those located in urban areas or business centres,” he says."This is mainly a result of failure by local leaders to mobilise livestock farmers and bring them to realise the importance of the centres among them and the entire population.”Ngarambe, however, points out that sensitisation efforts are being made to ensure that all milk produce goes through formal channels to ensure the safety of the consumers.