A Report on the Camel Milk Marketing Clusters in ... - ELMT Home

CARE KENYA/SITE NOV 2009
On 21 st Nov 2009, the Garissa traders visited the Vital
Camel Milk Limited (VCML) in Nanyuki. The proprietor,
Holger Marbach received the milk traders. He said VCML’s
trademark is the organic nature and health benefits of its
milk products. VCML sources its raw camel milk from both
individual producers and ranches. The producers who
deliver milk to the factory gate receive Ksh 40.00 per litre
while prices for milk collected from the field by VCML
transport are negotiable. VCML needs as much as 5000
litres of milk per day if it is to meet its orders for both local
Meeting between Garissa and Nairobi and export markets. However, getting enough milk to
milk traders
service these orders is a big challenge. This is because few
producers are able to meet the high
quality standards set by VCML. In addition, most camel
keepers are not commercial milk producers hence have not focused on milk production as a
business. The recurrent drought is another challenge as well as high transport costs since milk
producers are far from the factory yet the milk volumes being collected are low. In an effort to
improve the quality of raw camel milk delivered to VCML, they continually do the following:
o Train the producers on hygienic milk handling. Producers are trained not to smoke their
milking containers. Any smoked milk is rejected.
o Each milk producer buys on credit two sets of stainless steel/ aluminium milking buckets and
milk cans. VCML deducts Ksh 1.00 per every litre of milk delivered daily towards payment
of the milk containers until they fully pay.
o VCML cleans and sterilizes the milk cans for the producers, hence the need for two sets. The
producers are advised to open the sterile cans the following day at the time of filling them
with milk.
Mr. Holger Marbach expressed interest in buying at least 1000 litres of high quality camel milk
from Garissa if the producers can provide raw and non-smoked milk handled hygienically in the
recommended containers. He also has charcoal coolers which he is willing to co-own with
partners in business so as to maintain the quality of milk. His store is fully stocked with
appropriate milking buckets and milk cans for selling on credit to milk producers for assured
milk quality.
Highlights on exposure visit
Assignment <strong>Report</strong> under ELMT compiled by SITE
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