Kenya Milk Shortage Pushes Up Prices And Hits Chai Drinkers

According to the BBC, Kenya is facing a milk shortage that has left supermarket shelves nearly empty, pushed up retail prices and forced some shoppers to limit how much they buy. The shortage has also affected chai drinkers, for whom milky tea is a daily staple. The Kenya Dairy Board said formal milk deliveries to processors fell 3.7% from 84.4 million litres in June to 81.3 million litres in July, with preliminary checks indicating further declines in August. The Consumer Federation of Kenya said supply has been trending lower since the start of the year, citing delayed seasonal rains and a 45% rise in animal feed costs. It said fresh milk prices have climbed from 70 to 80 Kenyan shillings a litre. William Maritim, managing director of the dairy board, said milk remained available despite a temporary supply constraint, though fresh pasteurised milk has been more affected than longer-life UHT milk. Agriculture ministry officials met dairy processors on Thursday and said they would support farmers, stabilize supply and protect consumers. The ministry is considering duty-free imports of yellow maize, a fund to help preserve milk during surplus periods and temporary milk imports from neighboring countries.