As 2008 began, global tea markets were shaken by events in Kenya, where political upheaval and violence forced the postponement of the first tea auction of the year in Mombasa. Relative calm returned to the country in the second week of January, allowing the auctions to resume. But hopes of a quick return to normality were then dashed as protests escalated against president Mwai Kibaki's disputed election win.The Kenyan tea industry has already paid a heavy price for this unrest, with many tea factories suspending operations and tea pickers reported to be fleeing violence in parts of the Rift valley. At the same time, problems at Mombasa port have seen shipments delayed, causing problems for exporters, both from Kenya and from other African countries.
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