Uganda’s Milk Finds New Home: 80% Now in Kenyan Bellies

Kenya’s Insatiable Thirst for Ugandan Milk

Uganda finds itself in a dairy dilemma with its neighbor, Kenya, hoarding at least 80% of its milk exports. It’s like Uganda’s creamy goodness is just irresistible to Kenya’s taste buds, leaving our dairy farmers both bewildered and probably milking the cows even harder.

According to the Dairy Development Authority (DDA), Uganda has been churning out dairy products worth a staggering Shs976.3b, which is more than what it imports by a margin of Shs28.6b  – Kenya slurped up about 83% of Uganda’s dairy delights.

Uganda’s dairy exports read like a menu at a milkshake joint – butter, cheese, ghee, UHT, yoghurt, and milk powder, all whisked away to Kenya all day, every day.

But it’s not all sunshine and rainbows in the land of milk. Kenya has been throwing up blockades faster than you can say “cheese” with concerns over protecting its own dairy market. You’d think they were lactose intolerant to competition!

Uganda, not one to cry over spilled milk, has been eyeing new markets like a lactose intolerant person eyes a dairy free menu. Places like Algeria and Senegal are now getting a taste of Uganda’s dairy delights, much to the chagrin of Kenya and Rwanda, who’ve been acting like gatekeepers to the dairy world.

Despite droughts threatening to dry up the milk supply, production has seen a ‘mooving’ 37% increase. The cows are apparently in on this too, with their productivity levels shooting up like they’re on some bovine fitness programme. The central region’s cows are leading the pack in milk production at 32%, closely followed by the western region at 30%, probably sipping on some special milkshakes,  while poor Karamoja’s cows are lagging behind.

Uganda’s Dairy Export Destinations (2022/23)

Uganda’s Dairy Imports by Country (2022/23)