By HELEN ZULU –
THE Dairy Association of Zambia (DAZ) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Yendelela trading limited for the supply of equipment that would assist farmers in the transportation of dairy products.
The equipment would include boxer motorbikes and Bajaj three wheeler bikes and would be used for the transportation of milk among farmers.
Yendelela Trading limited is the official and exclusive distributor of Bajaj two and three wheeler motorcycles in Zambia.
DAZ executive manager Jeremiah Kasalo said the MoU would assist small and emergent scale farmers in transporting raw milk as it would easy its delivery to the milk collection centres.
Mr Kasalo said in an interview that this would enable farmers deliver the raw milk within a short period of time from the time of milking.
“We have already signed an MoU with Yendelela trading limited, we are just waiting for Parmalat Zambia limited to sign as well since they are part of the arrangement,” he said
He said raw milk was a highly perishable product and as such needs to be refrigerated within a short time of milking.
“Ideally, refrigeration should be done soon after one finishes milking. However, most small scale farmers do not refrigerate facilities on their farms and therefore depend on the refrigeration at the milk collection centre,” Mr Kasalo said.
He explained that in this regard, farmers were required to deliver the raw milk to the milk collection centres within two hours of milking and the use of Boxer motorbikes and Bajaj three wheeler bikes would significantly assist in doing so.
Mr Kasalo said the role of the association in this MoU was to mobilise farmers, create awareness through appropriate technology exhibitions among other things.
He said DAZ would further facilitate repayment through ensuring deductions via the raw milk processors who were Parmalat Zambia limited and Varun beverages Zambia limited.
Mr Kasalo said farmers would be able to access the bikes and three wheeler bikes on protracted payment such as 30 to 90 days.
He said the Bajaj three wheeler was able to carry a gross weight of 300Killogram inclusive of rider and had space to carry three by 40 liters, three by 20Liters and four by 10 liters of Milk Churns in one trip.
He said sensitisation and awareness meetings were planned to be held in Southern, Lusaka, Copperbelt and Central provinces.