Among the nine states, Somali and Afar are famed for Camel’s milk and products
Even if there is a huge potential for tapping Camel’s milk products in the two states, residents of the localities, for long, had been complaining about the absence of a manufacturing industry that can process the easily perishable raw milk into finished and safe products.
In order to thwart this bottleneck, a Camel milk and dairy industry which is the first of its kind was established recently at Berwaqo, Jigjiga in Somali State.
The owner of the manufacturing industry Amire Muktar told agricultural experts and journalists who visited the site recently that after processing the raw milk into finished products, the industry supplies them to local and international markets.
It is also noted that regarding processing and producing Camel’s milk in Ethiopia such a manufacturing industry is unprecedented.
According to Amire, in the near future the industry will have the potential to produce more than ten thousand liters of milk per day; yet it has been producing five thousand liters of milk a day since it has gone operational recently.
“As the manufacturing industry continues functioning with its maximum producing capacity, we believe that problems related to market accessibility and linkages will be solved and farmers of the locality will turn beneficiaries of sales of products,” he said.
It is covering more than 9-kms the industry collects the Camel’s milk from the farmers’ home. This relatively relieves farmers of the locality the hardship of carrying and trekking long distances.
“As Camels feed on grasses and different green leaves, it goes without saying the milk they give is endowed with high nutritional values that are very useful for proper health of human beings at all ages; via sensitization works we are deepening our clients’ awareness that they know the advantageous of our products and turn forthcoming in consuming them. Moreover, we are also planning to produce chocolates, ice creams and butter from the camel’s milk,” he added.
According to the owner, the manufacturing industry was constructed on 3,500 square meter of land while 15 million birr has been allocated for the project. He also appreciated the support the state administration facilitated for him in the provision of water in the compound of the industry by allocating one million birr.
The manufacturing industry has provided job opportunities for 30 people. When it continues working with full potential, it could create similar opportunities for more than 60 people.
Gosaye Lishano, one of the employees of the industry, said that he had acquired better knowledge and skills in addition to a fair income that helped him to improve his life and that of his family.
The Somali State Animal Resources and Agriculture Office Deputy Manager Gulede Ali said that there are more than 37 million living animals in the State and his office is planning to manage them scientifically for better yields.
“We are creating an attractive environment for investors who have a plan to work on dairy farming. We shall also improve the necessary infrastructural facilities such as provision of water, transport, electric power and the like.”
After explaining the availability of a huge amount of camel’s milk in the Afar and Somali states, Livestock Development Office Representative, under the Ministry of Agriculture Dr. Gebre -Egziabher Gebre-Yohannes said that the government is ready to encourage both local and international investors who would like to invest on animal and dairy farming.
[WaltaInformationCenter]