Less milk is making its way into Kenya’s processing plants, with farmers delivering 594.6 million litres in seven months, a drop of about eight million litres from the previous year as weather conditions disrupt dairy production.
Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics shows that processors received 594.6 million litres between January and July 2026, compared with 602.7 million litres during the same period in 2025.
The decline came as dairy farmers faced dry and cold conditions that affected the availability of pasture and fodder for their animals.
Milk deliveries were lowest in February and July during the period under review.
In February, processors received 74.4 million litres, down from 77.9 million litres recorded in the same month last year.
July recorded 81.3 million litres of milk delivered to processors.
The Kenya Dairy Board has linked the reduced supplies to the weather conditions, which have made it harder for farmers to access enough pasture and fodder for dairy cows.
The shortage of natural feed has also forced more farmers to rely on purchased animal feeds, increasing the cost of keeping dairy herds.
The lower volumes reaching processors have added pressure to the milk market as companies compete for the available raw milk.
Consumers are also paying different prices for packaged milk depending on the supermarket, brand and type of packaging.
A spot check by Radio Generation at various supermarkets in Nairobi showed that a 500ml packet of milk was selling for between Sh61 and Sh69, compared with between Sh38 and Sh60 last year.
At Naivas Supermarkets, the price of a 500ml packet ranged from Sh61 to Sh69, depending on the brand.
At Quickmart, the same quantity was being sold at between Sh62 and Sh63, with prices varying according to the brand and type of packaging.
Kenya’s dairy industry depends heavily on small-scale farmers, with an estimated 1.8 million smallholder farmers accounting for about 80 per cent of the country’s total milk production.
However, most of the milk produced in the country does not pass through the formal processing system.
An estimated 80 per cent of milk is sold through informal channels, where households often purchase raw milk directly from farmers and traders.
Previous studies have shown that a large share of milk produced in Kenya does not reach formal markets because many households buy raw milk directly from producers and local traders.
The formal dairy market consists of milk collected, processed and distributed through licensed channels.
The informal market, on the other hand, mainly involves raw milk being sold directly to consumers through local traders.
The latest figures therefore show a decline in the amount of milk entering the formal processing system, even as informal channels continue to handle a large share of the country’s milk trade.