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Kenya has been called upon to increase its pork consumption in a bid to expand market opportunities for local pig farmers and meat processors. Despite producing approximately one million pigs annually, the country's per capita pork consumption remains low, averaging just 0.4 kilograms per person per year. This is significantly less than the 16 kilograms of beef consumed and far behind Uganda’s 3.4 kilograms of pork per capita.
According to Laban Kabiru, General Manager of Farmers’ Choice, one of Kenya’s leading meat processing companies, low pork consumption is largely influenced by religious beliefs and persistent misconceptions about pork being unhygienic. “Pigs are just like other livestock. They are fed with quality feeds and kept in hygienic environments,” Kabiru stated, highlighting the industry’s efforts to meet international hygiene and production standards.
With more pork butcheries opening in shopping centers across the country, demand for pork is slowly rising. Farmers’ Choice works with over 5,000 pig farmers, predominantly from Kenya’s central region, to maintain a consistent supply of pigs for processing.
However, Kabiru pointed out that production is still relatively low due to the high cost of quality animal feed. This makes pig farming an expensive venture and reduces Kenya’s competitiveness in global markets. “We must address the cost barriers to enable smallholder farmers to produce more efficiently and profitably,” he added.
Despite the domestic challenges, Kenya exports about 20 percent of its pork products to countries in East and West Africa as well as the Middle East. Kabiru expressed optimism that, with ongoing training and capacity-building initiatives, the nation’s pork production could double over the next five years.
Stakeholders in the pork sector continue to intensify training on proper animal husbandry and hygiene practices. These efforts aim to boost production efficiency and encourage more Kenyans to embrace pork as part of their regular diet, thereby strengthening the entire pork value chain.
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