The ongoing disruptions to global shipping routes, primarily linked to the conflict in the Middle East, have severely impacted Kenya's vital tea export industry. According to George Omuga, managing director of the East Africa Tea Traders Association (EATTA), approximately eight million kilograms of tea are currently stranded in warehouses in Mombasa, Kenya's port city. This situation has led to significant financial losses, estimated at $8 million per week since March 1, directly threatening both Kenya's export earnings and the incomes of its tea farmers.

Omuga emphasized the direct and negative impact of the Middle East conflict on the Mombasa tea auction, noting that no tea is currently being shipped to the region, which typically accounts for 20-25% of Kenya's total tea exports. Furthermore, buyers are scaling back their purchases because even previously acquired stocks cannot be moved. The widespread disruption in global shipping has forced major carriers to suspend movements through critical waterways like the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This has necessitated rerouting vessels around Africa, leading to increased freight and insurance costs, thereby squeezing exporters' margins, even for tea destined for markets like Pakistan and Egypt.

Despite these challenges, President William Ruto had previously stated on Monday that tea exports were performing well, citing that 81% of tea offered for auction in March was exported, an increase from 75% a year prior. However, Omuga clarified that Ruto's 81% figure referred to purchases made at the auction between January and March 2026, not actual physical exports. He asserted that the reality on the ground indicates a worsening situation due to deepening logistics bottlenecks, dismissing the government's statements as attempts to provide comfort rather than reflect the true, negative outlook. The spokesperson for Ruto's office did not provide a comment when sought.

Kenya annually exports an average of 100 million kilograms of tea to Middle East markets. The tea industry is not new to geopolitical shocks; it had already been grappling with the aftermath of the Ukraine war. Before this conflict, Russia imported 29 million kilograms of Kenyan tea, a figure that has since drastically fallen to just 5 million kilograms. To mitigate the impact of such global turmoil, Omuga stressed the urgent need for the sector and the government to collaboratively develop and explore new markets within Africa.