Kenya tea exports hit by Iran conflict as stocks pile up
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Disruption to shipping routes linked to the Iran war has left about eight million kilograms of tea stuck in warehouses in Kenya’s port city of Mombasa for weeks, threatening export earnings and farmer incomes. George Omuga, head of the East Africa Tea Traders Association, said losses since March 1 were piling up at about $8 million a week.
Omuga said no tea was currently leaving for the Middle East, which accounts for 20% to 25% of Kenya’s tea exports. He added that buyers were also cutting purchases because stock they had already bought was not moving, leaving the auction under pressure.
The conflict has disrupted global shipping, with major carriers suspending movements through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, rerouting vessels around Africa, sheltering ships in the Gulf and adding emergency surcharges across the region. Reuters said that has fed directly into delays for perishable exports such as tea.
President William Ruto said on Monday that tea exports were performing well despite the disruption, with 81% of tea offered for auction exported in March, up from 75% a year earlier. Omuga said that figure referred to auction purchases between January and March rather than actual exports, and said logistics bottlenecks were worsening on the ground.
The story highlights how the Iran conflict is now reaching Kenyan farm exports, not just fuel and shipping. It also shows how quickly a regional logistics shock can hit auction flows, warehousing and farmer earnings in one of Kenya’s most important agricultural industries.
