Iran conflict leaves Kenya tea exports stuck in Mombasa

Ongoing disruptions to global shipping routes linked to regional conflict have left approximately eight million kilograms of tea stranded in warehouses within the port city of Mombasa. This bottleneck in Kenya is threatening both export earnings and the livelihoods of local farmers as stocks continue to pile up. George Omuga, the managing director of the East Africa Tea Traders Association, which oversees the Mombasa tea auction, reported that financial losses have reached an estimated $8 million per week since the start of March.

"The current conflict in the Middle East has had a direct impact, a negative impact on this auction," Omuga told Reuters.