Kenyan exporters of avocado, fresh produce, tea, and coffee are encountering significant setbacks due to ongoing conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, which have disrupted key export routes.
The ports of Mombasa and Dar es Salaam are experiencing a notable shortage of refrigerated containers and standard containers, attributed to extended cargo delivery times. This situation is further exacerbated by increased assaults on vessels navigating through the Suez Canal, prompting leading shipping conglomerates, Mediterranean Shipping Company and Maersk, to reroute their ships via South Africa, thereby prolonging transit times by an additional two weeks.
The Shippers Council of Eastern Africa has highlighted the severity of these disruptions, especially with Kenya's avocado season commencing in February. The scarcity of refrigerated containers is poised to impact the export of avocados and other perishables significantly, according to the council's acting chief executive, Agayo Ogambi. Avocado exporters are facing alterations to their export schedules, with some delaying harvests until mid-April in anticipation of the arrival of the necessary containers.
Source: theeastafrican.co.ke