Vietnam is a big tea producer. It not only has large tea growing areas in the midlands, northern mountainous areas and Central Highlands, but also tea forests that are hundreds of years old. More than 10 years ago, Vietnam began its large tea output, now ranked fifth in the world.

In addition to serving domestic demand, tea is exported to 74 markets in the world. However, the export volume has hit the ceiling.

In 2009, Vietnam’s tea exports for the first time brought turnover of $200 million. After 10 years, in 2021, the export turnover was $214 million.

In H1 2022, Vietnam exported 54,000 tons of tea, worth $94 million, a decrease of 6.4 percent in quantity and 1.3 percent in export value. The average tea export price was $1,720 per ton, up 5.4 percent over the same period last year.

In the first five months of the year, green and black tea were the two major export items, which accounted for 79 percent of Vietnam’s total tea exports.

The black tea exports decreased sharply to 15,770 tons, worth $24.8 million, falling by 32.7 percent in quantity and 26.8 percent in value compared with the same period last year. The average export price was $1,575.3 per ton, up by 8.8 percent.

The green tea exports reached 16,900 tons, worth $30.4 million, falling by 7.5 percent in quantity and 7.7 percent in value. The average export price was $1,809 per ton.

Unlike green and black tea, the oolong tea exports increased sharply to 148 million tons, worth $357,000, an increase of 47 percent in quantity and 62 percent in value.

Vietnam’s major export markets are Pakistan, Taiwan and Russia.

According to Taiwan’s customs agency, the market imported 11,513 tons of tea of different kinds in the first five months of the year. Vietnam was the biggest supplier of tea to the market, accounting for 51.8 percent. The import price from Vietnam was low, just $1,661.9 per ton.

Japan, Sri Lanka and Vietnam all export green tea to Taiwan, but while Japan earned $10,173 per ton and Sri Lanka $6,323 per ton, Vietnam earned $1,721 per ton.

As for black tea, Vietnam’s export price was 1,625 per ton, while Sri Lanka and China sold tea at $4,456 and $2,270 per ton, respectively. 

Vietnam mostly exports raw tea used to process food, so Vietnam’s tea exported to Taiwan is put in 3 kilogram packs.

Tam An