{"id":2099,"date":"2026-09-24T06:18:37","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T06:18:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fama.co.ke\/blog\/?p=2099"},"modified":"2026-09-24T06:18:38","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T06:18:38","slug":"animal-feed-prices-in-kenya-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fama.co.ke\/blog\/animal-feed-prices-in-kenya-today\/","title":{"rendered":"Animal Feed Prices in Kenya Today: The Complete 2026 Guide to Feed Costs and Livestock Profitability"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/a> have become the single most critical cost variable determining whether livestock farmers remain profitable or are forced to abandon production altogether. <\/span>Fama.co.ke<\/span><\/a> provides an innovative farm management platform that helps farmers track <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a>, monitor feed consumption, and make data-driven decisions that protect margins. The Kenya animal feed subsector is a troubled one, with feed prices on an unabated upward trajectory and a finger-pointing contest between feed producers, the Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers (AKEFEMA), and farmers, leaving the customer to pay the ultimate price. Animal feeds have gone up by between 50 and 94 percent since 2014, an unprecedented rise that has locked hundreds of thousands of farmers out of feeds which are key in complementing dwindling pasture. Understanding <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a> has never been more important for dairy, poultry, and pig farmers seeking to keep their enterprises viable.<\/span><\/p>\n

The current landscape of <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a> reflects a complex interplay of maize shortages, new taxes, and a weakening shilling that has pushed feed costs to historic levels. According to animal feed retailers, the price of feed is scheduled for a price hike as maize prices\u2014the main component in most animal feeds\u2014have increased from Sh2,800 for a 90kg bag two months ago to Sh3,300. This rise has been driven by a shortage of maize in the country and a recently introduced cess on grains delivered to Nairobi, where most millers are headquartered, by the Kenya Revenue Authority that took effect on 1st March. Further, the government has imposed a 15% tax on rice bran, another key component in animal feeds imported into the country from neighbouring Uganda and Tanzania. These compounding factors have pushed <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a> higher across all categories.<\/span><\/p>\n

Understanding <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a> requires awareness of the sharp variations across different feed types and regions. At the moment, Layers mash goes for Sh3,150 for a 70-kilogramme bag, Kienyeji mash retails at Sh1,800 per 70 kilogramme, and chick mash goes for Sh3,300 for a 70-kilogramme sack, which has been more than triple the price they retailed at four years ago. A 70-kilogram bag of layer mash is currently selling for between Sh4,000 and Sh5,000 across various parts of the country, up from Sh3,800 in April. These figures demonstrate the scale of the challenge facing farmers as they navigate <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The root cause of elevated <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a> is the acute shortage of raw materials. Maize constitutes up to 30 per cent of dairy meal, 70 per cent in poultry ration, and close to 50 per cent of pig feed, making it the most important component of any animal feed ration. Cottonseed cake is up 70 per cent to Sh60 a kilogram, Soya now sells for Sh120 compared to Sh70 in March last year. Sunflower cake has also had a double-digit price hike to Sh35 compared to Sh25. A 40-kilogram bag of wheat bran will now set you back Sh1,000\u2014a Sh200 price rise from last year. These raw material costs directly determine <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a> at the retail level.<\/span><\/p>\n

For dairy farmers specifically, <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a> have created a cost crisis that is becoming increasingly difficult to absorb. In Trans Nzoia, prolonged drought has damaged maize and fodder supplies, forcing dairy farmers to buy increasingly expensive feed while milk production falls. Dairy meal prices have risen from about Sh2,500 to around Sh3,000 per bag, while farmers are simultaneously dealing with lower-quality fodder. Feed and other expenses can consume up to 80 per cent of farm income, leaving little room for reinvestment, veterinary care, or expansion. The Kenya Dairy Board has estimated the cost of producing a litre of milk at between Sh30 and Sh37, while farmers continue to face rising <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The poultry sector has been hit hardest by <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a>. Chicken feed prices have risen by at least 37 per cent in the last four years according to a new report by the Competition Authority of Kenya, driving farmers to make their own feeds. This has led to the price of chicken feed in Kenya being almost double that in South Africa and Brazil. A 50kg bag of layers mash has more than doubled from Sh1,850 to Sh4,200 in the last five years, while egg prices have stagnated at Sh280\u2013300 per tray. This has squeezed the profit margins for farmers. Today more and more farmers are opting to make their own meals, leaving feed companies battling with waning sales. In the last three years alone, 30 feed makers have gone out of business and with them over 1,000 jobs have been lost.<\/span><\/p>\n

The competition issue is central to <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a>. Kenya imports most of its soybean meal and sunflower cake and some of its maize for making chicken feed from Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, and Zambia. These imports are controlled by four large companies leading to higher prices because they own the entire feed-making process. They import, mill, and make chicken feed. According to the Competition Authority of Kenya, if the country had a more open and competitive feed-making market it would save farmers over three billion shillings every year. These savings on the cost of feed would have meant lower egg and poultry prices and created more jobs boosting the economy. This structural market concentration directly impacts <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The government has intervened to cushion farmers from soaring <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a> through the Food Systems Resilience Programme, which supplies subsidized fodder at Ksh250 per bale and silage at Ksh270 per unit, with the government covering the remaining cost. The programme is increasingly viewed as a long-term investment rather than short-term relief, designed to mitigate livestock losses where forage is depleted. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has restructured the subsidy into a revolving fund model, shifting from one-off emergency grants to a sustainable, market-oriented approach. The government has also approved duty-free imports of yellow maize and is considering additional measures to ease the milk shortage linked to inadequate pasture and high <\/span>animal feed prices in Kenya today<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

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