Agriculture
Malawi milk producers worried of low consumption
December 08, 2020 / Brown Mdalla
Malawi Milk Producers Association (MMPA) has expressed concern over low milk and dairy products consumption among Malawians.
The organization which is a mother body for all milk producers associations in the country says local milk intake has stagnated for over two years now which it says is a worrisome development to the local dairy products manufacturers.
Herbert Chagona MMPA National Director said in an interview that it was worrisome that most Malawians do not take milk and its products as part of their essential daily diet since they perceive it as a luxury.
According to Chagona, Malawi is the lowest milk consumer in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region where the highest milk consumer only consumes eight litres per year which he said is against World Health Organization’s recommended quantity of 100 litres per person per year.
Chagona explained that besides perceiving milk consumption as a luxury, there are also other prominent factors leading to the decline in dairy products consumption including high poverty levels which forces people to use their income on basic commodities.
He, however, asked Malawians to change their perception on milk and dairy products, which he said are crucial in human development.
Chagona also asked dairy products manufacturers to ensure that prices for their products are affordable to most poor Malawians.
“Most people think that milk and other dairy products are designed for the rich just because their prices are usually exorbitant. Let me therefore ask dairy products manufacturers to make prices of their commodities affordable to people with diverse economic strengths,” said Chagona
He also asked dairy products manufacturers to establish their industries in all parts of the country in order to make their products accessible to all people across the country.
Chagona expressed concern that the northern city of Mzuzu does not have any milk processing and dairy products manufacturing industry, despite that the region is one of the highest milk producers.
He said the unavailability of milk processors and dairy products manufacturers in the Northern Region forces farmers to sell their milk to vendors at very low prices.
” The establishment of dairy processing industries in the Northern Region would help dairy farmers have access to reliable markets, while providing people in that area with dairy products which are important to their health,” said Chagona.
MMPA recently imported dairy cattle and goats which were distributed to the organization’s members in a ploy to meet the demand for dairy products in Malawi.
MMPA was established to coordinate all dairy farmers in Malawi and provide them with technical skills on how best they can benefit from their work.
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