NAIROBI, Kenya – The price of soybeans in Kenya has surged by more than Sh15 since March, with a kilo now selling at Sh115, up from Sh97.
This increase, attributed to a global shortage, poses significant challenges for animal feed manufacturers who rely on soybeans as a crucial source of high-quality vegetable protein.
The Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers (Akefema) has highlighted that the traditional sources of soybeans, such as Zambia and Malawi, have ceased exports, while Uganda’s harvest fell short of meeting demand.
“We are now left with India and Ethiopia,” said Paul Kamau, CEO of Akefema. “However, shipping the raw materials from these countries is expensive.”
The Kenyan government had previously granted an extension of duty waivers on raw materials, including soybeans, to alleviate costs for feed millers.
Despite this, prices of animal feeds remain high due to the continued scarcity of maize and soybeans.
The cost of a 70kg bag of feed ranges between Sh3,500 and Sh4,500, putting pressure on farmers.
Livestock Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke has urged local farmers to increase production of soybeans and sunflowers to ensure a steady supply of raw materials for feed manufacturing.
“There is a need for concerted efforts to boost local production,” Mueke said, noting that farmers in Western, Nyanza, and Eastern Kenya have started embracing soybean and sunflower farming. “If local production is sustainable, we may see a drop in feed costs in a few years.”
Zachary Munyambu, chairperson of the Kiambu Poultry Farmers Cooperative Society, emphasized the impact of high raw material prices on production costs.
“The price of maize germ has increased from Sh23-24 per kilo to Sh29-30 per kilo. This increment significantly affects farmers,” he said.
Munyambu called for the government to allow the importation of genetically modified maize and yellow maize to reduce pressure on white maize reserved for human consumption.
Mueke and Munyambu both stressed the importance of building local capacity for soybean and sunflower production to make Kenyan farmers more competitive.
“We have the land for soy and sunflower, yet we import the raw materials. We need to produce our own to support our poultry, pig, and dairy farmers,” Munyambu said.
