Sri Lanka’s vital tea export industry has been thrown into uncertainty as escalating military tensions in the Middle East disrupt key shipping lanes across the Mediterranean and Gulf seas. The government warns that the near-total halt of commercial maritime traffic through the Gulf region will significantly impact the country’s tea exports in the coming days, particularly to high-demand markets in Iran and Iraq.
Minister Anura Karanathilaka stated that the ongoing crisis has severely hampered exports to Middle Eastern countries, which represent a crucial market for Sri Lankan tea. With shipping operations in the Gulf almost completely stalled, exporters are facing mounting logistical challenges in dispatching tea and other goods to the region.
In an effort to prevent severe congestion at port facilities, the Minister made a special appeal to exporters to temporarily refrain from transporting tea and other export materials destined for the Middle East to port premises. He instructed that products be retained at their production sites until there is greater clarity on the evolving situation. The government, he added, is actively exploring alternative export markets to cushion the economic blow.
The turmoil has extended beyond maritime trade. Air travel has also been heavily disrupted, with approximately 125 flights scheduled to depart from and arrive at the Bandaranaike International Airport in Katunayake canceled so far. The widespread closure of airspace in countries including Iran, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah has been cited as the primary cause.
Authorities are now engaged in discussions with airlines to reroute passengers traveling to Western destinations such as Europe via alternative transit hubs, including Turkey. The Minister confirmed that arrangements have been made to provide essential food and accommodation for stranded passengers at the airport.
Meanwhile, attention is turning to whether the Colombo and Hambantota ports can provide the necessary facilities for cargo vessels traveling east to west, as Sri Lanka seeks to reposition itself amid one of the most severe regional transport disruptions in recent years.
