Maize and other food crops
Maize production estimates ranged between 34.2 and 47.6 million 90-kg bags in 2016β2025, with the lowest value, 34.2 million bags, in the drought year 202212. The 2025 estimate was 45.8 million bags, equal to about 4.1 million tonnes (own calculation)2. On FAOSTAT data maize was harvested on 2.41 million hectares in 2024, and yields stayed between 1.4 and 1.8 tonnes per hectare in 2010β20243. Beans production was 7.4 million bags and potato production 2.5 million tonnes in 20252.
Imports supplied 89.8% of wheat in 2025 (own calculation). Domestic production was 254.9 thousand tonnes and imports 2,235.5 thousand tonnes2. Rice paddy from public irrigation schemes rose from 194,447 tonnes in 2020/21 to 303,724 tonnes in 2024/252.
Tea, coffee, horticulture and sugar
Made tea production reached 598.5 thousand tonnes in 2024 and fell by 8.0% to 550.4 thousand tonnes in 2025, with smallholders producing 271.8 thousand tonnes and estates 278.6 thousand tonnes2. Marketed tea was worth KSh 153.0 billion in 20252. Coffee production was 51.4 thousand tonnes in 2024/25, of which cooperatives produced 36.8 thousand tonnes (71.6%, own calculation), and the average auction price rose from KSh 65,881 to KSh 93,615 per 100 kg between 2024 and 20252. The Coffee Act 2026, in force since 27 March 2026, assigns coffee regulation to the Coffee Board of Kenya, and the Tea Act assigns tea regulation to the Tea Board of Kenya45.
Fresh horticultural exports reached 457.9 thousand tonnes worth KSh 143.8 billion in 20252. Fruit export volumes rose from 48.7 thousand tonnes in 2016 to 250.3 thousand tonnes in 2025, while cut flower earnings were KSh 81.3 billion in 2025, below the KSh 110.8 billion of 202112. Sugar production fell to 613.2 thousand tonnes in 2025 and imports rose to 477.7 thousand tonnes2.
| Crop | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maize | million 90-kg bags | 36.7 | 34.2 | 47.6 | 44.8 | 45.8 |
| Beans | million 90-kg bags | 7.4 | 8.3 | 9.6 | 8.4 | 7.4 |
| Sorghum | million 90-kg bags | 1.5 | 1.3 | 2.2 | 2.7 | 2.6 |
| Potatoes | million tonnes | 2.1 | 1.8 | 2.3 | 2.2 | 2.5 |
| Wheat | thousand tonnes | 349.1 | 368.7 | 309.5 | 311.8 | 254.9 |
| Made tea | thousand tonnes | 537.8 | 535.0 | 570.3 | 598.5 | 550.4 |
| Coffee (crop year ending in the year) | thousand tonnes | 34.5 | 51.9 | 48.7 | 49.5 | 51.4 |
| Sugarcane | thousand tonnes | 7,659.1 | 8,799.8 | 5,550.7 | 9,365.3 | 7,051.9 |
| Avocado | thousand tonnes | β | β | β | 639.2 | 528.3 |
| Product | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cut flowers, volume ('000 t) | 210.1 | 202.9 | 116.3 | 102.5 | 130.6 |
| Cut flowers, value (KSh bn) | 110.8 | 104.3 | 73.5 | 72.1 | 81.3 |
| Fruits, volume ('000 t) | 117.3 | 113.3 | 188.1 | 225.4 | 250.3 |
| Fruits, value (KSh bn) | 18.4 | 19.7 | 32.4 | 41.0 | 41.2 |
| Vegetables, volume ('000 t) | 78.1 | 75.4 | 164.1 | 74.3 | 77.0 |
| Vegetables, value (KSh bn) | 28.5 | 23.2 | 50.9 | 23.4 | 21.3 |
| Total, volume ('000 t) | 405.5 | 391.5 | 468.4 | 402.2 | 457.9 |
| Total, value (KSh bn) | 157.7 | 147.1 | 156.7 | 136.6 | 143.8 |
Livestock, dairy and fish
Households kept 15.8 million cattle, 28.0 million goats, 19.3 million sheep and 4.6 million camels at the 2019 census (own sums of the census categories)6. FAOSTAT reports 22.4 million cattle and 38.4 million goats in 20243. Milk production was 5,521.1 million litres in 2025, of which 1,013.7 million litres were formally marketed and 704.4 million litres processed2. Fish production was 135.4 thousand tonnes from capture and 34.7 thousand tonnes from aquaculture in 20247.
| Species | 2019 census, kept by households | FAOSTAT 2024 |
|---|---|---|
| Cattle | 15,774,818 | 22,435,638 |
| of which exotic dairy cattle | 2,209,980 | β |
| Goats | 28,011,800 | 38,426,161 |
| Sheep | 19,307,445 | 26,214,927 |
| Camels | 4,640,085 | 4,779,483 |
| Pigs | 442,761 | β |
| Chickens (indigenous and exotic) | 38,816,238 | 71,223,000 |
| Product | Production | World rank | Share of world (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camel milk | 1,098,082 t | 1 of 29 | 26.2 |
| Tea leaves | 2,687,200 t | 3 of 46 | 8.2 |
| Sisal | 20,940 t | 3 of 24 | β |
| Camels | 4.78 million head | 4 of 46 | β |
| Avocados | 585,000 t | 6 of 73 | 5.2 |
| Goats | 38.4 million head | 7 of 181 | β |
| Dry beans | 903,851 t | 8 of 106 | 3.0 |
| Cattle | 22.4 million head | 15 of 190 | 1.4 |
| Maize | 4,023,000 t | 30 of 162 | 0.3 |
Trade
The map shows where Kenya's agri-food products go and where they come from. In 2025 Kenya reported US$4,782.8 million of agri-food exports and US$3,588.4 million of imports9. Pakistan was the largest buyer, at US$575.6 million, almost all of it in HS chapter 09 (coffee, tea and spices), followed by the Netherlands (US$504.3 million, 70% of it live plants and cut flowers), the United Kingdom (US$394.5 million) and Uganda (US$357.1 million)9. EU-27 members took 25.5% of exports and members of the East African Community 15.8% (own calculation)9.
On the import side Malaysia supplied US$956.0 million, almost all of it fats and oils (HS chapter 15), and India, Russia, Argentina and Australia supplied most of the imported cereals9. Cereal imports were US$1.20 billion in 2025 and fats and oils US$1.12 billion9. Agri-food exports grew from US$3.15 billion in 2015 to US$4.78 billion in 2025, and imports from US$1.85 billion to US$3.59 billion10. Kenya ratified the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement in 2018, and its Economic Partnership Agreement with the EU has been in force since 1 July 20241112.
| Rank | Export partner | US$ m | Share (%) | Import partner | US$ m | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pakistan | 575.6 | 12.0 | Malaysia | 956.0 | 26.6 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 504.3 | 10.5 | India | 347.0 | 9.7 |
| 3 | United Kingdom | 394.5 | 8.2 | Russia | 232.8 | 6.5 |
| 4 | Uganda | 357.1 | 7.5 | Uganda | 200.6 | 5.6 |
| 5 | United Arab Emirates | 288.4 | 6.0 | Argentina | 199.4 | 5.6 |
| 6 | Egypt | 192.9 | 4.0 | Tanzania | 167.7 | 4.7 |
| 7 | Germany | 156.0 | 3.3 | Australia | 167.0 | 4.7 |
| 8 | United States | 140.8 | 2.9 | Pakistan | 165.5 | 4.6 |
| 9 | France | 123.1 | 2.6 | South Africa | 111.8 | 3.1 |
| 10 | Saudi Arabia | 116.9 | 2.4 | Egypt | 104.3 | 2.9 |
| Total, HS 01β24 | 4,782.8 | 100.0 | Total, HS 01β24 | 3,588.4 | 100.0 |
Prices
The average price paid to farmers for maize rose from KSh 3,003 per 100 kg in 2021 to KSh 7,005 in 20252. Retail maize prices peaked at KSh 79.4 per kg in March 2023, after the drought, and were KSh 61.8 in September 20252. Food and non-alcoholic beverages inflation was 7.2% in 2025 and 9.5% in September 2026, when overall inflation was 6.8%1314.
| Product | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maize | KSh per 100 kg | 3,002.7 | 5,301.0 | 6,116.7 | 6,281.2 | 7,005.1 |
| Wheat | KSh per 100 kg | 4,297.9 | 5,971.3 | 5,043.7 | 4,509.7 | 5,090.3 |
| Tea (auction) | KSh per 100 kg | 23,444.4 | 29,384.6 | 31,212.1 | 29,736.4 | 27,806.0 |
| Coffee (auction) | KSh per 100 kg | 65,864.9 | 48,871.4 | 61,416.2 | 65,881.0 | 93,614.6 |
| Sugarcane | KSh per tonne | 3,910.0 | 4,514.0 | 5,242.0 | 5,291.0 | 5,437.0 |
| Milk | KSh per 100 litres | 4,200.0 | 4,720.4 | 5,083.0 | 4,910.1 | 4,958.0 |
| Beef, third grade | KSh per 100 kg | 44,839.6 | 46,522.1 | 56,400.0 | 61,631.6 | 67,097.0 |
Sources cited on this page
- Economic Survey 2021 (PDF) β Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS)verified
- Economic Survey 2026, Chapter 7 Agriculture Sector (Tables 7.1-7.23, PDF pages 202-224) β Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS)verified
- FAOSTAT Production: Crops and livestock products, bulk download for Africa (CSV, release of 23 December 2025) β Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nationsverified
- Coffee Act, No. 8 of 2026 (Kenya Law web page) β National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
- Tea Act, Cap. 343 (Act No. 23 of 2020) (Kenya Law web page) β National Council for Law Reporting (Kenya Law)verified
- 2019 Kenya Population and Housing Census, Volume IV: Distribution of Population by Socio-Economic Characteristics (PDF) β Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS)verified
- Global fisheries and aquaculture production, FishStat bulk dataset GlobalProduction_2026.1.0 (CSV, March 2026) β Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nationsverified
- FAOSTAT Production: Crops and livestock products, bulk download all countries (CSV, release of 23 December 2025) β Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nationsverified
- UN Comtrade β Kenya, agri-food trade (HS chapters 01β24) by partner, 2025 (public preview API, JSON) β United Nations Statistics Divisionverified
- UN Comtrade β Kenya, agri-food trade by HS chapter (01β24), world partner, 2015β2025 (public preview API, JSON) β United Nations Statistics Divisionverified
- Status list of countries which have signed, ratified or acceded to the Agreement establishing the AfCFTA, as at 22/05/2026 (PDF) β African Union Commissionverified
- EU trade relations with the East African Community (web page) β European Commission, Directorate-General for Tradeverified
- Economic Survey 2026 (PDF) β Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS)verified
- The Kenya Consumer Price Index and Inflation Report, September 2026 (PDF) β Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS)verified
- World Development Indicators β Inflation, consumer prices (annual %), FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG (API, JSON) β World Bankverified
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