Kenya, one of Africa’s leading milk producers, is confronting an unprecedented shortage of fresh milk that has disrupted daily life for consumers and businesses alike. The scarcity has been particularly acute in urban areas where pasteurised milk consumption is highest, with residents accustomed to abundant supply now facing empty supermarket shelves and substantially higher prices. Restaurant owners and households report difficulty securing adequate quantities, forcing some to make compromises such as serving tea without milk or diluting purchased supplies with water.
The Kenya Dairy Board has documented a measurable decline in formal milk deliveries to processors, falling from 84.4 million litres in June to 81.3 million litres in July, with further declines reported in August. Industry analysts attribute the shortage to multiple factors including delayed seasonal rains that have reduced grazing land and a 45 percent increase in animal feed costs for farmers. Retail prices have risen from 70 to 80 Kenyan shillings per litre, placing financial pressure on consumers and businesses dependent on regular milk purchases.
The Consumer Federation of Kenya has argued the crisis was foreseeable and partially preventable, contending that state-owned dairy processor New KCC and the Kenya Dairy Board failed to adequately process surplus milk supplies from the previous year. The federation notes that powdered milk reserves, typically reconverted during dry seasons, would have substantially mitigated current supply constraints. The organization has called for comprehensive recovery measures including farmer support through feed subsidies and tax exemptions on animal feed imports.
Government officials have initiated response measures in recent weeks. The agriculture ministry has committed to increasing feed availability for farmers through duty-free importation of yellow maize and is examining longer-term strategies to stabilise supply across periods of both surplus and scarcity. Additionally, authorities are considering temporary milk imports from neighbouring countries and exploring establishment of a government fund to support milk preservation during periods of agricultural abundance. The dairy board’s managing director has stated that supplies remain available despite current constraints, noting that fresh pasteurised milk has been more severely affected than longer-shelf-life UHT varieties.
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