Kenya presses Sudan to lift tea import ban as stranded stocks weigh on exporters
Kenyan opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka has asked Sudan to lift its ban on Kenyan tea imports, imposed in March 2025 after diplomatic relations deteriorated. The restrictions disrupted a market previously worth about US$70 million a year and left Sudan-specific tea stranded in Kenya.
Appeal seeks to restore a major export market
Kenyan opposition leader Kalonzo Musyoka has appealed to Sudan to lift its ban on Kenyan tea, raising hopes that shipments could eventually resume after more than a year of disruption. Musyoka presented the request during a visit to the Sudanese Embassy in Nairobi, where he met Ambassador Kamal Jabara Gubara and other officials.
The Star reported that Sudan introduced the restriction in March 2025 following a deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two countries. Musyoka said the measure had caused heavy losses for Kenya’s tea industry and its farmers. He described the embassy discussions as constructive but announced no formal decision, timetable or conditions for reopening the market.
Ban disrupted trade worth US$70 million a year
Sudan traditionally ranked among Kenya’s five largest export destinations for tea, according to Musyoka. The country historically bought about 35 million kilograms of Kenyan tea annually, valued at approximately US$70 million, or Sh9 billion. The loss of that outlet came as Kenya’s tea sector was already confronting fluctuating international prices, rising production costs and pressure to secure reliable markets.
The immediate exposure was also substantial. Tea worth more than US$24 million, or Sh3.1 billion, was already in transit or awaiting shipment when Sudan halted imports, Musyoka said. The suspension stranded 207 forty-foot containers at the Port of Mombasa, increasing costs and losses for traders and exporters.
Sudan-specific blends remain in storage
More than a year after the ban took effect, tea prepared for Sudan remains in Kenyan warehouses. Musyoka said over 3.44 million kilograms, valued at more than US$10.3 million, was still stored in Mombasa. The Star also reported a shilling value of Sh129 million for that stock, a figure that differs materially from the stated US-dollar valuation.
Redirecting the consignments is difficult because the tea was blended and branded specifically for Sudan, according to Musyoka. Unlike a standardized bulk cargo, a market-specific finished product can require repackaging or reprocessing before another buyer will accept it. Continued storage also ties up exporters’ working capital and adds warehousing costs.
Farm earnings depend on market access
Musyoka linked the accumulated stocks to exporter losses, weaker auction prices and reduced earnings for Kenyan tea farmers. He argued that restoring access would protect livelihoods in tea-growing regions, support exporters and preserve economic ties between Kenya and Sudan. Kenya is one of the world’s major tea exporters, and the crop generates foreign exchange while supporting millions of livelihoods directly and indirectly.
The embassy meeting creates a channel for further negotiations, but the available report does not confirm that Sudan has formally agreed to end the ban. For producers and traders, the decisive development would be an official change in import policy accompanied by workable clearance arrangements for the tea already held at the port and in warehouses.
