Facing price drop, Kenya's farmers threaten to uproot
Falling tea prices are prompting tea farmers to consider uprooting their plantations in Kenya. Growers face a peculiar conundrum: while demand outstrips supply in the global tea market and good weather conditions lead to a bumper crop this year, prices have simultaneously fallen by up to 40% compared to three years ago. This endangers the livelihood of many small-scale operations, which represent two-thirds of Kenya's 432 million kilogram output. The local industry and politicians are now looking to diversify their export markets beyond the UK, where demand for mass-market tea has plateaued, and countries in the Middle East, where political turmoil frequently disrupts purchases. There are also plans to create a price stabilization fund, which would cushion farmers against big price fluctuations.