Milk shortages are slowing the expansion of Rwanda’s rising cheese business, with producers struggling to satisfy rising demand amid seasonal provide fluctuations, excessive feed prices, and restricted processing know-how.
Trade gamers say demand for regionally made cheese is rising in each native and regional markets, however restricted milk provide continues to constrain manufacturing.
Emmanuel Kageruka, Managing Director of Gishwati Farms, mentioned the corporate has seen demand persistently outgrow provide through the years.
ALSO READ: Govt to develop high quality cheese for export
“We began cheese manufacturing in 2017 once we have been receiving about 1,500 litres of milk per day, however now we solely get round 600 litres as a result of competitors amongst processors has elevated and milk is shared amongst totally different producers,” he mentioned.
Based on Kageruka, the corporate requires at the very least 2,000 litres of milk day by day to satisfy market demand.
“Each month, we promote about 2,000 items of cheese, but the market calls for at the very least 5,000,” he mentioned.
He added that different nations together with Cameroon, Burundi, and Kenya have additionally proven rising curiosity in Rwandan cheese merchandise.
ALSO READ: The healthiest methods to eat cheese
Kageruka famous that milk manufacturing improves throughout wet seasons, serving to enhance cheese output. Producing one kilogramme of cheese requires roughly 10 litres of milk.
Danny Twagiramungu, Managing Director of Muhe Farm Cheese Manufacturing unit Ltd in Nyabihu District, mentioned Rwanda nonetheless imports some cheese varieties that might doubtlessly be produced regionally if the nation invested in higher processing know-how.
“The demand is there, however the problem for us is know-how. Some kinds of cheese are imported despite the fact that we may produce them regionally,” he mentioned.
ALSO READ: Milk manufacturing to rise by 135% by 2029; how will probably be achieved
Twagiramungu defined that producing one kilogramme of cheese typically requires about 10 kilogrammes of milk, though higher-fat milk can barely enhance effectivity.
He mentioned excessive animal feed prices proceed to push up milk costs, making regionally produced cheese much less aggressive in comparison with merchandise from neighbouring nations akin to Uganda.
“The price of feed will increase milk costs, which then raises the price of cheese manufacturing,” he mentioned.
Twagiramungu additionally pointed to restricted use of dairy by-products in Rwanda’s processing business.
“In developed nations, by-products remaining after cheese extraction are additional processed into merchandise akin to low-fat milk and juices, serving to cut back waste and improve profitability. In Rwanda, that know-how continues to be restricted,” he mentioned.
In the meantime, Daniel Sindayigaya, a dairy farmer based mostly in Nyagatare District mentioned milk manufacturing typically declines throughout dry seasons when cows rely closely on saved feed.
“Through the dry season, manufacturing goes down as a result of cattle rely upon saved feed,” he mentioned.
He famous that the decline impacts the quantity of milk out there for processing into merchandise akin to cheese and butter.
“The market demand is rising. Just lately, I wanted round 40 kilogrammes of cheese however I used to be unable to supply that amount. It’s the similar scenario with butter,” he mentioned.
Rwanda’s dairy sector has continued to increase in recent times. Based on the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Sources (MINAGRI), annual milk manufacturing elevated from 503,130 metric tonnes in 2013 to greater than 1.06 million metric tonnes in 2022/23, earlier than reaching 1.15 million metric tonnes in 2024/25.
The ministry’s newest annual report additionally exhibits that milk provided to dairy processing crops elevated to 90.2 million litres in 2024/25, up from 83.9 million litres the earlier yr.
Rwanda plans to extend day by day milk manufacturing by about 135 per cent, from 2.9 million litres to six.8 million litres by 2029 by improved animal genetics, expanded synthetic insemination providers, higher livestock diet, and strengthened animal well being techniques, in keeping with MINAGRI.
