Kenya, Iran Set to Lift Tea Export Ban

Kenya and Iran have agreed to lift a months-long ban on Kenyan tea exports within 60 days, following a high-level diplomatic breakthrough aimed at restoring trust and eliminating trade barriers.

The agreement was announced at the conclusion of the 7th Session of the Kenya–Iran Joint Commission for Cooperation (JCC) held in Nairobi, co-chaired by Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia W. Mudavadi and Iran’s Minister of Agricultural Jihad, Dr. Gholamreza Nouri Ghezalcheh.

The two nations will establish a joint committee to address the trade impasse and ensure strict compliance with quality standards, officials said.

The move follows a criminal tea-export scandal involving a Kenyan firm that led to the ban and strained bilateral trade ties.

“We’re putting measures in place to ensure this never happens again,” said Cabinet Secretary Sen. Mutahi Kagwe.

“Kenya’s tea sector is one of our largest foreign exchange earners, and we must protect it from unscrupulous traders who damage our reputation.”

What Led to the Ban

Investigations revealed that the now-deregistered Cup of Joe Limited had illegally blended low-grade tea and exported it to Iran under the guise of premium Kenyan tea. The company is set to face prosecution.

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Iran, which imported 13 million kilograms of Kenyan tea worth KSh 4.26 billion in 2024, ranks among the top ten buyers of the commodity.

Pakistan remains the top importer, accounting for over a third of Kenya’s total tea export volumes.

The newly formed committee is expected to draft a regulatory framework within two months, clearing the path for resumed exports.

Officials from both nations expressed optimism that normal trade relations could resume before the end of the 60-day period.

Call an End to the Tea Ban

Back in April 2025, CS Kagwe had promised to lift the ban in a meeting between Agriculture CS Mutahi Kagwe and a group of Iranian businesses.

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“The discussions also focused on exploring expanded trade opportunities not only with Iran but across the broader Middle Eastern and Central Asian regions,” a statement from the CS read.

“Reopening access to Iran’s robust market could be a game changer for tea farmers and the entire tea value chain.”

In the first ten months of 2024, Kenya’s tea export volumes surged 20.8 percent, boosted by increased demand in destination markets, the Tea Board of Kenya (TBK) announced earlier.

TBK said export volumes stood at 500.8 million kg, an increase from 414.5 million kg recorded in the same period of 2023, earning the country Sh155 billion.

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