Kenya's wheat and rice imports (Sh bn)

Kenya’s import landscape has reached a historic turning point as expenditure on rice imports officially exceeded that of unmilled wheat for the first time in 2025.

Data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reveals a dramatic shift in trade priorities and spending patterns over the last five years, culminating in a significant reversal of the traditional import hierarchy.

The year 2025 saw wheat import costs plummet to Sh41.73 billion, a sharp decline from the Sh85.73 billion recorded only a year prior. In contrast, while rice expenditure also dipped from its 2024 peak of Sh67.85 billion, it remained higher than wheat at Sh55.11 billion. This marks a milestone in the country's economic data, signalling a departure from the trends observed since 2021.

Looking back at the five-year trajectory, wheat expenditure showed a steady climb from Sh62.4 billion in 2021 to Sh78.08 billion in 2022, eventually peaking at a substantial Sh93.76 billion in 2023. During this same period, rice imports followed a similar upward path but at a lower valuation, rising from Sh31.15 billion in 2021 to Sh54.77 billion in 2023.

The most aggressive surge for rice occurred between 2023 and 2024, when costs jumped by more than Sh13 billion to hit Sh67.85 billion.