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The company general manager, Benson Mwangi, in a statement released on Friday, May 5 2023, said the move has affected the company’s factory output.
“We wish to bring to your attention a particular challenge we are currently facing through non-tariff barriers that have been imposed in Kenya by the Kenyan regulator, the Kenya Dairy Board,” the statement read in part.
It further read: “Effective 19th March 2023, the Kenyan Government through the Kenya Dairy Board stopped issuing permits to our diary products in their kentrade system, affecting our factory output significantly. This is after a notice banning diary imports issued by the same regulator (Kenya Diary Board) was rescinded by the principal secretary, State Department for Livestock Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.”
The statement further revealed that despite the rescinding of the suspension of diary imports into Kenya, permits haven’t been issued to most diary importers.
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“Despite the rescinding suspension by the principal secretary, it is apparent that this has been ignored, and the permits are still being denied by the same regulator, Kenya Diary Board. As at this date, there are 36 permits awaiting approval by the Board,” it read.
It should be noted that the Kenya Diary Board earlier banned all milk imports into Kenya, saying the move was aimed at protecting homegrown milk producers from regional competition.
Following negotiations between the Ugandan Government through the Minister of East African Affairs headed by Rebecca Kadaga and the Kenyan Government, the suspension was suspended by the Board.
“I’m happy to inform the country that by 5pm last evening we had received a communication from the Government of Kenya informing us that the ban on importation of dairy products into the country has been suspended,” said the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rebecca Alitwala Kadaga.
Kadaga said the suspension followed a telephone discussion with her counterpart in Kenya, Rebecca Miano.
“I’m really happy to say that this has been done and the Ugandan dairy industry will be able to get the permits now. I assure you that I will continue to engage when such barriers occur,” Kadaga asserted.