DAZ bemoans low West milk production

By NOEL IYOMBWA THE Dairy Association of Zambia (DAZ) is concerned with the low milk production in Western Province despite the area having a milk processing plant, executive manager Jeremiah Kasalu has said.

In an interview in Lusaka, Mr Kasalu said recently a milk processing plant was set up in the province but that it was not doing well in terms of production because the volume of milk was not meeting the desired target.

“As you know Musika working with ZAM Milk put up a milk processing plant in Western Province but it is not doing very well. As an association, we want to move in to train farmers and also build capacity so as to get better yields.

“Western Province has a lot of cattle farmers but most of them keep animals for beef. So it is just a matter of encouraging them to diversify into dairy farming.

Mr Kasalu disclosed that another milk collection centre had been opened in Mumbwa.

“Apart from Mumbwa central MCC, we also have another centre called Senzo MCC So we are collecting milk in Mumbwa and each centre can supply 600 to 800 litres of milk every after two days,” he said.

Meanwhile the association with support from the Swedish embassy in Lusaka has given Chibombo Womens Dairy Cooperative Club a loan in form of animal feed and soya cake worth K35, 000 for reselling.

This was after submitting a business proposal, to the association.

DAZ gender saving and credit Officer Chota Kangwa said the donation was meant to help women start a business and that the association was trying to encourage more women of Chibombo to be selling soya cake and maize brands.

She encouraged women in the district to take the business serious to help them boost milk production.