March 1, 2005
Rise in demand for cattle export in Kenya
The supply of dairy and beef cattle to various countries in East and Central Africa has been received by Kenya .
Rwanda, Burundi, Malawi and Zimbabwe placed the orders, said Mr Joseph Chirchir, the chairman of the Kenya Livestock Breeders Organisation.
Mr Chirchir said Kuwait had also placed orders for 1,000 beef cattle while addressing the organisation's ninth annual general meeting at the Nakuru ASK pavilion .
He said it was important for livestock breeders to register their animals with the Kenya Stub Book as potential buyers were interested in buying quality animals with a documented history.
The official also asked dairy farmers to file their animals' milk production records with the Dairy Recording Service of Kenya.
Without the records, it would be difficult for farmers to export their animals.
Mr Chirchir also asked the Government to lift the ban on importation of cattle semen from Europe to enable local breeders improve their herds.
Although Kenya had banned the sale of the semen, the same was being imported from South Africa.
In a speech read for him by assistant minister Noah Wekesa, Livestock and Fisheries Development minister Joseph Munyao said rising demand for Kenya's dairy and beef cattle showed that the country's livestock sector was on its way to recovery.
The minister added that demand for high quality dairy animals had increased locally due to the better prices offered to milk producers.
He said the ministry was committed to creating disease-free zones to enable the country to export quality livestock products.
The Government was reviewing policies and laws to enable the livestock sector grow, as the ministry was aware of the many challenges facing it.
Mr Munyao said diseases, drought, poor infrastructure, lack of credit facilities and high cost of semen, feeds and chemicals were among the challenges facing the sector.
He asked the farmers to help the Government overcome the challenges.
