Kenya Dairy Board technical service engineer Philip Cherono said an estimated 95 million litres of milk are lost due to poor handling, storage, processing and use of outdated equipment.

As a result, the board will set up 204 cooling plants countrywide to assist dairy farmers preserve milk.

He regretted that some cooling plants donated to cooperative societies were idle.

Mr Cherono spoke in Nakuru during a workshop sponsored by Site, a non governmental organisation involved in training small-scale farmers.

The official noted that 60 per cent potential for milk production in the country was untapped.

"We can produce 2.9 million litres of milk per day, but we are only producing 1.2 million litres, hence the idle capacity of 1.7 million litres," Mr Cherono said.

He announced that from next to year, the board will train farmers, milk handlers, processors and trader on production of quality milk for domestic consumption and export.

All the milk dealers will be registered and handlers trained on hygiene and handling.

The milk handling outlets and premises will also be licensed and regularly assessed for quality.

He said Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have harmonised their regulations to promote the sale of milk in the region.

Elsewhere, an agricultural college has started projects to spur honey production in Bomet, Baringo, Trans Mara, Bureti and Kericho districts.

Last year, Baraka Agricultural College in Molo trained 84 students on beekeeping, said Mr Jairus Lihanda, an official.

TheCattleSite News Desk