The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has outlined measures to address reduced milk supplies in shops, with the government assuring consumers that the disruption is temporary and prices will not increase.

🇰🇪 Breaking It Down

After a meeting with the country’s dairy processors on Thursday morning, Livestock Development Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke said the decline has been linked largely to limited rainfall and pressure on fodder, which has affected milk production in some parts of the country.

As a result, the ministry plans to work with animal feed manufacturers to identify stocks available in different parts of the country and distribute them to dairy farmers through cooperatives and processors.

“We understand where the gap is and what needs to be done to restore normalcy in the short, medium and long term. We will keep the public updated regularly, as we monitor milk production daily,” the PS said.

📌 What You Need to Know

According to the ministry, the duty-free importation of yellow maize will be gazetted in the coming weeks following President William Ruto’s approval, providing additional raw materials for animal feed production and improving availability for farmers.

Mueke said the government is also considering temporary milk imports from neighbouring countries if necessary to bridge the supply gap until local production improves.

Additionally, the ministry is working with the Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) to monitor milk production, distribution and pricing to ensure farmers receive fair returns and discourage sales to brokers and informal processors.

The measures come amid reports of milk shortages in shops, with confirmation by the KDB that formal milk deliveries to processors fell by 3.7 per cent , from 84.4 million litres in June 2026 to 81.3 million litres in July.

On August 31, the Consumers Federation of Kenya (COFEK) gave the ministry seven days to publish a transparent recovery plan, warning that prices could surge amid the shortage.

After Thursday’s meeting, Kenya Dairy Processors Association (KDPA) Chair Kenneth Gitonga assured consumers that processors would seek to maintain current prices.

📰 Source: Kenyans.co.ke