Kenya’s tea industry has suffered another setback after the Iranian ambassador to Kenya warned that the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel will delay efforts to lift a ban on Kenyan tea exports to the Middle Eastern country.
Iranian Ambassador Ali Gholampour said on Monday that the ongoing war will have “a very negative impact” on the progress of negotiations with Kenya. “It would prolong the challenges that exist,” he said during a media conference in Nairobi.
Kenya had been in talks to resume tea exports to Iran after a Sh168 billion scandal involving the shipment of substandard tea led to a ban. In 2023, tea exports to Iran were valued at Sh5.98 billion, making Iran a key market for Kenyan farmers.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe had intensified diplomatic engagement with Iran to reopen the trade route. In April, Kagwe met with Iranian business groups and, earlier in February, held high-level discussions with Ambassador Gholampour aimed at resolving bottlenecks in tea exports and livestock logistics. The Ministry of Agriculture had expressed optimism, calling access to Iran’s market a potential “game changer” for tea farmers.
However, the ambassador suggested that resumption of talks may depend on Kenya’s position regarding the conflict. He urged Kenya and other nations to condemn “acts of aggression” by Israel, which he accused of targeting civilians, including women and children, and striking nuclear sites.
Adding to the woes, Iran had also agreed to a deal with Kenya to export 50 metric tonnes of beef, but the trade has stalled due to suspended flights between the two countries. “Our businessmen are stranded. No flight means meat cannot be exported,” Gholampour said.
The compounded impact of the Iran tea ban and the diplomatic fallout with Sudan, which also halted exports, is hitting Kenyan tea farmers and exporters hard. As geopolitical tensions rise, hopes for quick resolution and renewed trade ties remain bleak, posing significant economic implications for Kenya’s agricultural sector.
