Milk processors have been challenged to come together and work out a structure to promote local milk consumption.

Livestock and Fisheries minister Joseph Munyao, said this would help create a big market for local dairy products. He said at the weekend that processors should not only focus on the regional market but also consider the local one.

"Processors must put their heads together and think of ways to promote milk consumption locally before going to foreign markets," he said.

He was speaking during the opening of a dairy farmers' field-day, organised by the Kenya Dairy Board in Kieni West division, Nyeri.

Mr Munyao said successful penetration into regional markets would among other things depend on the farmer's ability to produce competitive quality products.

He said the Kenya Dairy Board was in the process of registering all commercial milk producers to establish an effective product traceability mechanism, so that the dairy products meet the set international standards.

The registration the minister said, would be followed by inspection and certification of their farms.

Meanwhile, Dairy farmers in Bomet District earned Sh 438.9 million from the sale of 27.4 million litres of milk last year. The earnings increased to Sh55.6 million compared to the previous year, but sales dropped by 2.3 million kilogrammes of milk, said district livestock production officer, Mr Edward Ondigi.