Nairobi, June 3 -- The value of Kenya's food and beverage imports hit Sh81.6billion in three months to March 2026, marking a record first quarter expenditure and underscoring renewed concerns over dwindling domestic crop output.

The 40.9 percent jump in the food and beverages import bill from Sh57.9billion in the corresponding quarter of 2025 also represents the fastest growth since 2023 when the country battled a devastating drought and disruptions in the global supply chain.

Provisional data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) show the increase of Sh23.7 billion ranked food one of the biggest drivers of the country's rising import bill and signalled growing reliance on foreign supplies to bridge domestic production sho...