Global shipping disruptions linked to ongoing conflict in the Middle East are severely impacting Kenya’s tea export industry, with about eight million kilograms of tea currently stranded in warehouses in Mombasa.

According to George Omuga, the delays are causing losses estimated at $8 million per week since March 1, threatening export earnings and farmer incomes.

The crisis has disrupted shipments to Middle East markets, which typically account for 20–25% of Kenya’s tea exports, as shipping companies suspend movements through key waterways such as the Strait of Hormuz and Bab el‑Mandeb Strait.

As vessels reroute around Africa, freight and insurance costs have surged, squeezing exporters’ margins and slowing deliveries to major buyers including Pakistan and Egypt.

However, that the figure referred to purchases made between January and March rather than actual shipments, warning that exports are deteriorating due to stalled logistics.

The industry, which exports about 100 million kilograms of tea annually to the Middle East, is still recovering from earlier geopolitical shocks, including the Russia‑Ukraine War, which reduced Russian imports of Kenyan tea from 29 million kilograms to five million kilograms.

Industry stakeholders are now urging the government to diversify markets, particularly within Africa, to cushion the sector against ongoing global disruptions.