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{
    "id": 963468,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/963468/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 95,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. (Dr.) Langat",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 13189,
        "legal_name": "Christopher Andrew Langat",
        "slug": "christopher-andrew-langat"
    },
    "content": "Mr. Speaker, Sir, I request that those consulting do so in low tones. I support this particular Statement with all my heart. This is because this is the only remaining farming sector that generates income for Kenyans. We are aware that the coffee industry declined and the tea industry is dying. Unless we secure this one, our farmers will soon remain with nothing. We have also heard poultry farmers in areas like Kiambu complaining that the prices of eggs are going down, yet we import a lot of the eggs from neighbouring countries. There are many challenges that face dairy farming. One of them, which I have seen in my county that needs to be addressed by the county governments, is lack of storage facilities for farmers to store milk as they wait for it to be bought. More often than not, farmers sell their milk at a throwaway price fearing loss and spoilage. Our counties should realise that this is a devolved function. They should make sure that storage facilities are availed to the farmers, so that they have somewhere to store milk as they negotiate with those who can buy at better prices. Delayed payments to farmers by major co-operatives societies is also a major challenge. For example, farmers from Kericho and Bomet counties are still waiting for payments they are owed by the KCC for the past 10 years. The Government should waive that and make sure that farmers are assisted. The other issue that affects dairy farming is poor infrastructure. Sometimes milk buyers are from within. Better co-operative societies that could buy milk from farmers are unable to reach them because of poor roads. For example, where I come from, big companies that have strong machinery, like vehicles, have monopolized the collection of milk. Therefore, poor infrastructure in our country is another problem affecting dairy farming."
}