Livestock Development minister Mohamed Abdi Kuti has said the government will create disease free zones to enable the country to sell livestock and allied products in the world market. He said the country had lost the export of 142 metric tonnes of livestock products to the European Union for failing to create the zones.

Kuti said the country has already created five disease free zones, adding that more will be created besides employing more extension officers especially in the Arid and Semi Arid Areas where 60 percent of the Kenyan livestock is found. The government has not employed veterinary officers since 1986 when the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund IMF exerted pressure on the government to privatize some sectors as a condition for financial aid.

"The country's economy was on a downward spin and the government had no option other than to comply," he said adding that this is the point where free cattle dip and AI services were ruined. The minister noted that since President Kibaki took reins of power in 2003 milk production has increased from 2.2 billion litres to 5.8 billion litres produced today.

He said the country is self sufficient with milk and is exporting two million litres to Asian countries and urged farmers to work hard saying market for milk products is still big even in absence of the world market.