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Harry Ivan Mboto is a Current Affairs and Politics Editor at TUKO.co.ke, covering general news. Mboto has five years of journalism experience and joined TUKO.co.ke in 2024

President William Ruto has attributed milk shortages reported in Kenyan supermarkets to increased consumption, arguing that more people are now earning incomes and can afford basic household commodities.

The head of state supported an explanation previously offered by his economic adviser, David Ndii, who linked the supply challenges to growing demand from workers employed under the Affordable Housing Programme.

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Speaking during the Industrialisation Summit at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) in Nairobi on Wednesday, November 4, Ruto maintained that Kenya's dairy production had recorded significant growth.

He disclosed that annual milk production had increased from approximately 4.6 billion litres to 5.5 billion litres in 2025. The president also cited Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) figures indicating that milk processing capacity had grown by 36 per cent.

However, he argued that the growing production was being matched by an increase in the number of Kenyans with disposable incomes, consequently pushing up demand.

Ruto said approximately two million additional Kenyans had secured employment, including 1.1 million people working in the affordable housing sector.

He argued that the expanding workforce had increased the number of households capable of purchasing milk and other essential commodities.

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He added that similar developments could be observed in other agricultural sectors, particularly coffee and tea, where production and consumption patterns were also changing.

The president's explanation comes amid reports of milk shortages in supermarkets and retail outlets, with some shops introducing purchase limits as consumers struggle to find certain brands.

Ndii had previously defended the government's position by arguing that increased consumption, rather than declining national production, was responsible for the shortages.

However, available industry figures indicate that formal milk deliveries to processors have also experienced a decline.

A report published on October 19 showed that deliveries fell from 88.89 million litres in May to 75 million litres in August 2026.

The Kenya Dairy Board attributed the decline largely to drought conditions and mounting pressure on animal feed, while also identifying challenges affecting milk collection, processing and distribution.

Similarly, the KNBS August 2026 Leading Economic Indicators dashboard recorded formal milk intake at 77.1 million litres, down from 81.3 million litres in July.

The figures suggest that although increased consumer demand may be contributing to the shortages, declining deliveries and challenges within the dairy supply chain are also important factors.

Source: TUKO.co.ke