Tanzania: Tdb to Increase Milk Collection Centres

By Daily News Reporter in Dodoma

THE Tanzania Diary Board (TDB) is working out on a strategy that will ensure the number of Milk Collection Centres (MCC) in all rural areas is increased.

The intended initiative aimed at heighten the country's milk collection capacity will automatically see milk processing factories increased and milk as well as dairy products are raised.

Available statistics shows that, there are at least 99 milk processing factories in Tanzania with the capacity to produce 865,600 litres per day, but due to low production and availability of milk from farmers the industries are only processing 203,600 litres, estimated as 23.52 per cent of production capacity.

Commenting, the Registrar of the TDB, Noely Byamungu, said the current milk supply in the rural areas is being crippled by poor and unfriendly road infrastructures in the country.

"To address the setbacks, the board is looking forward to expanding available Milk Collection Centres (MCC) in all rural areas with high number of dairy cattle farmers and milk production," he explained.

Elaborating, he said that currently there are at least 221 milk collection centres (MCC) initiated by the board in different areas countrywide, adding: "Out of the number, at least 717 MCC have been established with special milk cooling tanks... with professional ability to safely preserve milks for a weeklong period, and at capacity to cool a total of 352,098 litres a day."

MCC system, according to him, provides a friendlier platform that ensures farmers are presented with reliable markets for their produce, adding: "Throughout the system, milk factories are straight coming to procure milk at the MCC, where the farmers are paid on weekly basis under a well-being established contract."

Equally, he noted that TDB will continue working closely with key stakeholders, including milk processors to educate and motivate the farmers to form special groups and have a collective voice in the milk collection centres.

"By increasing availability of the MCC in all concerned areas, we will manage to stand a promising chance to overcome several challenges facing dairy farmers as well as milk processing plants," he observed.