The Kenya Dairy Board (KDB) has reassured consumers against panic buying, maintaining that current national supply disruptions are minimal and strictly temporary.
Speaking on Thursday following public concern over empty supermarket shelves and brand shortages in urban outlets, Kenya Dairy Board Chairperson Genesio Mugo stated that the actual shortfall stands at approximately 3%.
“As the regulator for the dairy sector, we want to assure the public that the current shortage is minimal—around 3%—and should not cause alarm or panic buying among consumers,”
The board’s assessment comes amidst recent market surveillance indicating tight milk supplies across major retail markets in urban hubs such as Nairobi, Nakuru, and Kisumu. Retail outlets and major supermarket chains had recently begun limiting purchase quantities per customer following delayed deliveries from leading processors.
The national supply deficit is estimated at just ~3%, driven largely by localized distribution bottlenecks rather than a collapse in overall farm production.
Short-term constraints have primarily affected pasteurized and Extended Shelf-Life (ESL) milk packs, while processors shift focus to boosting Ultra-High Temperature (UHT) stock.
Standard 500ml liquid milk packets have generally held steady within the KSh 55 to KSh 65 price bracket across mainstream retail channels despite localized surges.
KDB is intensifying market surveillance, monitoring processor distribution chains, and evaluating temporary Regional EAC trade allowances for UHT milk if domestic supply stabilization takes longer than anticipated.
The regulator has urged consumers to maintain normal purchasing habits, emphasizing that production cycles are expected to normalize swiftly across key dairy-producing counties.
