Mixed performance in agriculture, manufacturing sectors in 2025

An operator works in the 2.2mw biogas plant which is owned by the Tropical Power Company and is located in Naivasha. The USD6.5m plant which is located in Naivasha is the first of its kind in the continent. [Antony Gitonga, Standard]

Kenya’s agriculture and manufacturing sectors recorded a mixed performance in 2025, with higher coffee and tea export volumes, according to a report by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).

Coffee prices remained strong, with the average auction price for January to September 2025 standing at Sh901.71 per kilogram, up from Sh590.82 in the same period of 2024. However, coffee export volumes dropped slightly to 50,500 tonnes, compared with 50,900 tonnes in 2024.

Tea export volumes, in contrast, rose to 588,700 tonnes from January to November 2025, up from 575,800 tonnes in 2024. Despite higher volumes, earnings were slightly lower, with the average tea auction price falling to Sh276.06 per kilogram, down from Sh282.51 in 2024.

The sugar sector continued to struggle, with production declining by 27.2 per cent to 551,800 tonnes, compared with 758,300 tonnes in 2024.

Manufacturing showed stronger performance in some areas.

Production of galvanised sheets increased by 16.6 per cent to 299,500 tonnes, up from 256,800 tonnes in 2024, while vehicle assembly also increased, with 12,518 vehicles assembled, a 15.4 per cent rise from 10,844 units in 2024.

The construction sector, on the other hand, remained active, with cement production rising to 9.5 million tonnes, up from 8.1 million tonnes in 2024. Cement consumption also increased to 9.3 million tonnes in 2025, from 7.8 million tonnes the previous year.

According to KNBS, the figures reflect resilience in parts of the economy, particularly manufacturing and tea exports, even as challenges persist in the sugar sector.