The Dairy Development Authority says the milk industry in Uganda is suffering setbacks because of miscommunication regarding a cattle quarantine imposed in some districts in central and southwestern Uganda.
Nathan Twinamasiko, the Executive Director of Dairy Development Authority, says the police and veterinary officials were instructed to prevent the movement of cattle from areas hit by Foot and Mouth Disease, but did not receive orders on the movement of milk and other dairy products.
Twinamasiko explains that Foot and Mouth Disease is only an animal disease and infected cattle cannot transmit the disease to humans through their milk. He says a lack of understanding and poor communication about the disease has prevented many cattle farmers from transporting milk from their farms to collection centers.
//Cue in: iInstructions were not #i
Cue out: # risk of contamination.i//
Twinamasiko says that in addition to issuing new instructions on the mode of transportation of milk, all the milk is heat treated on arrival at the dairy factories to minimize infections to areas in the country, which are free from Foot and Mouth Disease.
