Kenyan meat export losses over Middle East conflict
In a press briefing on Thursday, March 12, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the conflict between the US and Israel with Iran has disrupted the flow of exports such as meat products and tea to the Middle East, which is one of Kenya’s largest export markets for these products.
"There are some products that are already starting to be impacted, for example, we send to the Middle East, about EUR 2 million worth of meat every week," Kagwe has said.
"We have also been sending other food products to Iran, such as our distribution point for tea in Dubai, where we mix some of our tea, particularly for some of the Middle East Countries," he added.
Kagwe has assured that the government has started the process of looking for other markets for the products in other countries, to ensure that the affected markets are replaced as soon as possible.
"There are also other markets that have arisen as a result of the situation, and we believe that we will be able to cater to other markets and replace those ones that are currently in conflict," Kagwe said.
The U.S. and Israel launched an attack on February 28, 2026, against strategic targets in Tehran, which prompted Iran to begin retaliatory attacks, leading to the closure of key trade routes and airspaces in the Middle East countries.
It is estimated that continued instability in Iran and the region at large could trigger prolonged supply disruptions, driving energy prices even higher and increasing costs for businesses and consumers worldwide.
The drastic spike in oil prices has been attributed to the prolonged disruption of oil shipment through Iran’s Strait of Hormuz, which is a vital global energy route, with approximately 20 per cent of the world's total oil consumption passing through it.
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