The Newshound

Kenyan tea farmers warn of shortages heading to British shelves as production falls 30% amid climate chaos

From the Newshound archive · first published 21 September 2026.

A cup of tea, as Kenyan farmers warn that hailstorms, drought and extreme heat have cut yields by 30%, threatening supplies of the black tea that fills half of Britain's mugs.
A cup of tea, as Kenyan farmers warn that hailstorms, drought and extreme heat have cut yields by 30%, threatening supplies of the black tea that fills half of Britain's mugs.

Kenyan farmers supplying half of Britain's black tea are warning of looming shortages after production across five farming cooperatives collapsed by 30% in May and June. Nelson Ngeno, who manages the Fintea union in Kericho, says farmers are "really scared" as livelihoods are "cut short" by volatile weather. UK shoppers are already paying more, while farmers in poverty see little of the windfall as middlemen and corporations absorb most profits. A January hailstorm alone wiped out an estimated 20,000 to 30,000kg of daily output over four months as plants recovered.

Kenya supplies half of all black tea drunk in Britain, but yields are buckling under droughts, hailstorms and extreme heat.

British milk supplies are also under pressure, with drought cutting collections by around 1.24 million litres below last year's levels.

Farmers in Kericho say that between rising input costs and shrinking harvests, they cannot meet basic family expenses, much less build any resilience into their operations.

MoreYahoo News UKClimate impacts hitting yields and already ‘scarce’ incomes, tea farmers warnThe IndependentTea shortage warning as climate crisis sees production plummet and prices soarEasternEyeWhy British tea prices are rising while tea farmers continue to struggle - EasternEyeLBCTea farmers warn of shortages set to hit Britain's brews as climate change affects stocks
Read today's full feed at The Newshound →