The World Produces About 7.3 Million Tons of Tea | One Cup Supporting the Lives of 13 Million People

Green tea in the morning, black tea in the afternoon, a matcha latte at a cafe. Tea is said to be the world’s most widely consumed beverage after water. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) designates May 21 each year as International Tea Day and publishes figures related to tea.

Production is about 7.3 million tons

According to FAO, global tea production is about 7.3 million tons, with a production value of 19.5 billion dollars. About 2 million tons of tea are traded across borders, with a trade value of 9.4 billion dollars. In other words, much of the tea produced is consumed within the producing countries. FAO explains that roughly three quarters of the tea produced is consumed domestically.

Global tea figures shown by FAO
・Production: about 7.3 million tons (production value: 19.5 billion dollars)
・Imports: about 2 million tons (trade value: 9.4 billion dollars)
・People who make a living from tea: more than 13 million
・Production handled by small-scale farmers: about 60%
・Growth in per-capita consumption: 2.1% per year over the past 10 years

An industry supported by small farms

One characteristic of tea is that small-scale farmers account for about 60% of production. More than 13 million people make their living through work related to tea, and it plays a major role as a source of income in rural communities. FAO states that supporting the management of small-scale farmers is important in preparing for climate change and price fluctuations.

Consumption is growing in producing countries

Over the past 10 years, per-capita tea consumption has grown at a pace of 2.1% per year. This growth is being driven by consumption in producing countries themselves, such as China and India. At the same time, some teas, such as Japan’s matcha, are spreading overseas together with new ways of drinking them. For trends in matcha exports, see Green tea exports doubled in one year and for international coffee prices, see Why International Coffee Prices Are Not Coming Back Down introduced here.

Reference: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), International Tea Day / FAO Intergovernmental Group on Tea

—The Value Village Editorial Team