Kenya: Consumers Warn of Milk Price Squeeze As Formal Supply Falls

What the report says

Kenyan consumers are again facing pressure on milk prices after formal-sector deliveries fell in June, according to a Capital FM report distributed by AllAfrica. Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics showed milk intake by processors and other formal buyers dropped to 84.44 million litres in June 2026, down from 88.89 million litres in May and below the 90.24 million litres recorded a year earlier.

The Consumers Federation of Kenya, or COFEK, said the decline is already being felt in Nairobi, where some retailers have reportedly started rationing purchases and fresh milk prices have risen. The group also pointed to intermittent shortages of branded packaged milk in supermarkets. COFEK Secretary-General Stephen Mutoro called for clearer government communication on the dairy sector and urgent steps to prevent further shortages and price increases.

The report said the tightening supply is linked in part to difficulties among smallholder farmers, who produce most of Kenya’s milk. COFEK said delayed rains have reduced pasture availability and increased reliance on more expensive feed, while the Kenya Dairy Board has previously warned that some farmers may leave dairy production if costs remain high. The federation also argued that last year’s milk surplus was not adequately preserved in strategic reserves, leaving less of a buffer now.

COFEK has asked the Agriculture Ministry to publish a recovery plan, while also urging tax relief on key feed inputs and closer monitoring of prices and milk intake. The broader issue matters because it affects both household food costs and the financial viability of dairy farmers in one of Kenya’s key agricultural sectors.