State Minister for Animal Industry Joy Kabatsi has said Uganda is set to celebrate annual dairy day aimed at promoting milk consumption in the world.
At the media briefing, Kabatsi said the month of June is Dairy Month and the annual event is celebrated worldwide to pay tribute to contributions of dairy farmers, dairy importers and exporters and their families who work hard every day to provide fresh, wholesome milk and milk products for everyone to enjoy.
“This year’s theme is geared towards acknowledging women’s significant contribution to the dairy sub-sector in particular and to food security,” she said at media Centre.
According to Kabatsi, celebrations will be held on between June 27-29, 2018 in Soroti District and will be organizing and coordinated by Dairy Development Authority (DDA), an agency under Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries.
She said the value of marketed milk had 5 per cent increase from US $ 716 million in 2015 to US $ 752 million about (Shs2.7 trillion) in 2017/18 and the marketed milk stood at 80 per cent of the total production in 2017 and is likely to increase after the rehabilitation of more milk collection centres.
Total rural milk collection centres are currently 461 with total installed capacity of 1,779,417 liters.
“Uganda has 100 operational milk companies with a total installed capacity of 2.7 million liters per day. Products currently processed include; milk powder, UHT milk, pasteurized milk, yogurt, butter, ice cream, cheese, Ghee and casein,” she added.