Kenya’s formal milk intake crossed 1 billion litres in 2025 for the first time, rising 11.5% to 1.014 billion litres from 909.0 million litres in 2024, according to industry data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics.
- •The record year extends a rebound that began after a 6.6% drop in 2022, when dry conditions and rising costs squeezed production.
- •Volumes recovered in 2023 with 7.5% growth to 810.76 million litres, accelerated to 12.1% in 2024, then strengthened further in 2025.
- •Formal intake has expanded almost sevenfold since 2001 from just 145.63 million litres.
Monthly figures underline the depth of the change. Eleven of twelve months in 2025 posted all-time highs, including months that once defined the low season. January opened at 90.4 million litres, while May peaked at 94.5 million litres, both far above earlier cycle highs. Even the weakest month stayed above 77.9 million litres, a level once seen only during peak flush periods.
December 2025 stood out as the lone pause. Intake slipped 3.6% year on year to 82.6 million litres from 85.7 million litres in December 2024. The pullback followed an unusually strong close to 2024 and did not change the annual outcome, pointing to a modest correction rather than fading momentum.
Behind the surge sits a mix of policy, pricing, and infrastructure changes. Programmes such as MoreMilk 2, led by the Kenya Dairy Board with development partners, focus on quality, safety, and compliance among informal traders in key dairy counties. Proposed dairy and livestock reforms aim to tighten oversight, expand cooling and bulking capacity, and cut losses along the supply chain.
Processors expanded collection networks and offered more predictable payouts, giving farmers stronger incentives to deliver milk to factories instead of informal markets. Improved rainfall supported yields, yet the persistence of higher volumes during weak months signals deeper formalisation rather than a short-term weather lift. Rising urban demand and institutional buyers helped absorb the additional supply.
