Kenya buys maize bran from Uganda
Cattle feeding on maize products. PHOTO/FILE/COURTESY
Availability and cost are the main drivers that have seen Kenyan animal feed traders opt to source the concentrates needed by farmers to increase output in animal production from Uganda.
“I can get 50 kilogrammes of maize bran from Uganda at a wholesale price of Shs32,000 which I’ll then sell for Shs36,000 to farmers. Buying the bag from Kenyan millers costs Shs39,600 which will mean having to sell it for Shs43,200 to make a profit. A Shs3,600 price difference is a lot for a small-scale farmer looking to cut down on their production costs, naturally most opt for the cheaper alternative,” explains Wellingtone Serem a feed wholesaler.
Similarly, he points out wheat bran bought from a local milling company sets him back Shs30,312 and is sold to farmers for Shs34,200, while a similar 50-kilogramme bag costs Shs27,360 imported from Uganda, this he can sell for a slightly cheaper Shs30,600.
Making bran
To formulate feeds, farmers have to use the Pearson Square method. In this method, the digestible crude protein (DCP) is the basic nutritional requirement for any feed preparation for all animals and birds.
