De Heus Opens Major Feed Mill in Kenya to Raise Livestock Output

De Heus Kenya has opened one of Africa’s largest animal feed manufacturing facilities in Athi River, Machakos County. The KSh 3 billion plant is aimed at supporting the livestock sector and increasing milk and meat production. The facility was inaugurated on 18 February 2026.

Source: farmersreviewafrica

The event was presided over by Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe. He said the investment supports efforts to improve productivity in the livestock sector. Kagwe noted the focus is on raising output per animal rather than increasing herd sizes.

The plant has an initial annual capacity of 200,000 metric tonnes, expandable to 260,000 tonnes. It will produce compound feeds, concentrates, premixes and specialty feeds for poultry, pigs, ruminants and aquaculture. The company said the facility will combine global research with local manufacturing and quality testing.

Managing Director Wiehan Visagie said local production will address inconsistent feed quality and reduce reliance on imports. Feed accounts for up to 60 to 70 per cent of livestock production costs. The government said it will introduce a feed quality index and strengthen standards enforcement.

The project is expected to create about 250 direct jobs and up to 1,000 indirect jobs. De Heus Kenya plans to source maize and soybeans from local farmers. The livestock sector contributes about 12 per cent of Kenya’s GDP, and the government aims to increase annual milk production from 5.2 billion to 10 billion litres.