In this piece, we will take a look at the five countries that export the most tea in the world. For more countries, head on over to 12 Countries that Export the Most Tea in the World.
5. United Arab Emirates
Tea Exports in 2021: $338 million
The United Arab Emirates, or the UAE, is a Western Asian country in what is popularly called the Middle East. As opposed to the European countries which have localized tea variants, tea in the UAE is simply black or green tea. In Dubai, a tea called karak chai is one of the more popular ones, with ‘karak’ referring to a stronger tea with less milk and higher potency. Some tea franchises that operate in UAE are Mooboo, Zafran Filli, and Tealand Trading LLC.
4. Republic of India
Tea Exports in 2021: $687 million
India is one of the largest economies in the world and also one of the largest consumers of tea. Naturally, this also lends it a strong tea industry, which exported $687 million of the beverage in 2021, equaling to 197,239 tons. Naturally, this vibrant industry also lends India exclusive teas of its own. Some of the most popular Indian tea brands are named after the regions that they are grown in, such as Assam and Darjeeling. In fact, tea growers in Assam have their own time zone, called Tea Garden Time, which is one hour ahead of Indian Standard Time! Some of the largest Indian tea companies are Tata Consumer Products Limited (NSE:TATACONSUM.NS) and Hindustan Unilever Limited (NSE:HINDUNILVR.NS).
3. Republic of Kenya
Tea Exports in 2021: $1.1 billion
The Republic of Kenya is an African country with a GDP per capita of $6,122. Tea is one of the most important sources of foreign exchange for the country, as it often accounts for up to one fifth of Kenyan exports. By the end of 2021, Kenya had exported $1.1 billion of tea, which corresponded to 556,552 tons. The most widely produced Kenyan tea is the Pekoe Fanning 1, and other variants are Broken Pekoe 1 and Pekoe Dust. Kenya’s biggest tea companies are Kenya Tea Development Agency Holdings (KTDA), Global Tea & Commodities (K) Ltd, and Kenya Tea Packers Limited – a KTDA subsidiary. The industry is also made of several small farmers in addition to the large players.
2. Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
Tea Exports in 2021: $1.3 billion
The Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, or simply Sri Lanka, is an Asian country that is known for its vibrant tea industry. Tea forms a crucial part of Sri Lankan exports, which have become more important recently due to a foreign exchange crisis in the country. The Sri Lankan climate is suited to tea production, and the largest Sri Lankan tea brand is Ceylon Tea. Ceylon Tea is owned by the Sri Lanka tea board and is also thought to be a national heritage. Other renowned Sri Lankan tea brands and companies are George Steuart Group of Companies (George Steuarts) and HVA Foods PLC.
1. People’s Republic of China
Tea Exports in 2021: $2.2 billion
The People’s Republic of China, or simply China, is the world’s largest economy in purchasing power parity terms. Tea and China are synonymous, as the beverage traces its origin to the Asian country. Naturally, a wide variety of teas are consumed in China, including black tea, green tea, Pu-erh tea, Oolong tea, white tea, kuding tea, yellow tea, and Jasmine tea. China exported $2.2 billion of tea in 2021, and some top brands are Tieguanyin, The Long Jing, and Baihao Yinzhen.
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