Where is Tea Grown- The Top 12 Countries.

Tea is an ancient drink that has never stopped being consumed for its extensive health benefits.

Depending on each culture it is prepared in one way or another.

The main producers of tea are China and India, accounting for more than 50% of world production.

In India, they promote a large production of black tea while in China they produce a lot of green tea and it is the one they consume the most in this country.

Behind it follows Vietnam also with green tea, although it produces black, white tea, and the famous oolong.

They also bet on very interesting mixtures such as Jasmine Tea, tea with flowers is a very famous bet in the country.

Where is Tea Grown- The Top 10 Countries.

#1 China. 2.473.443 tons per year

With approximately 30-35% of the total amount produced in the world, it ranks first on our list.

It has been consumed like everything from a drink to medicine and is at the center of countless cultural rituals in the nation.

Different varieties are produced in China, including green tea, oolong, white, pu-erh, yellow, and jasmine, to name a few.

#2 India. 1.325.050 tons per year.

India produces large quantities, especially since they are a nation of more than a billion tea drinkers.

More than 70% of the tea produced in India is consumed within the nation rather than exported.

One of the most recognizable teas is chai tea blends produced in northern India, regularly consumed with milk.

However, India also exclusively produces the popular varieties of Assam and Darjeeling.

#3 Kenia. 439.857 tons per year.

Kenya does not have many large plantations – approximately 90% of the tea produced is grown on small farms of less than one acre.

To keep up with the competition, Kenya has shifted its focus to innovation, research, and development in the industry.

They have become leaders in the development of new varieties that grow more abundantly.

That is better able to withstand climatic conditions.

#4 Sri Lanka. 349.699 tons per year.

In 1867, Briton James Taylor started a tea plantation in the town of Kandy in Sri Lanka.

At just 19 acres, he pioneered a sector.

The industry grew to over 188,175 hectares today, and tea production is now one of the largest industries in the island nation, employing over one million Sri Lankan workers.

The country, once known as Ceylon, produces three main varieties: Ceylon black, Ceylon green, and Ceylon white tea.

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#5 Vietnam. 260.000 tons per year.

The Vietnamese tea industry has both large companies with modern technology and machinery.

As well as small independent producers who make limited quantities of artisanal teas.

The varieties produced are diverse: approximately 60% of the tea produced in Vietnam is black tea, 35% is green and 5% corresponds to other special varieties for infusions such as lotus or jasmine.

Vietnam also has some special varieties such as Shan Tuyet, a tea made from indigenous trees found only in limited areas of the country.

#6 Turkey. 234.000 tons per year.

Almost all of Turkey’s harvest comes from a small region located near the town of Rize.

The humid climate, topography, and proximity to the Black Sea create ideal conditions for growth.

The country mainly produces black tea, also known as Turkish tea or Rize.

While Turkish coffee is world-famous, the tea culture in Turkey is also strong, and there is a very specific way to brew it.

Traditionally, Turkish tea is prepared in a samovar (cauldron), creating a concentrated infusion, which is diluted with water when served.

An interesting fact is that mainly, its domestic market is protected with a very high import tariff of 145% for foreign teas.

#7 Indonesia. 139.362 tons per year.

Tea culture did not take off with the locals in the same way it did with other colonial producers; 65% of what was produced in 2013 was exported from the country.

Production in Indonesia is predominantly focused on black tea, although small amounts of green tea are also produced.

In addition, many varieties of tea grown here are not well known globally, as much of the Indonesian harvest is used for blending; Mixed with other teas and herbs.

#8 Myanmar. 104.743 tons.

Myanmar has been at the center of a scandal over the use of a harmful health dye in tea produced in the country.

However, thanks to a new generation of organic farming, the country’s tea have gained popularity in recent years.

Much of the country’s plantations are located in Shan State, on the border with China.

#9 Ir├án. 100.580 tons per year.

Black tea is the most common variety produced in Iran.

Until the end of the fifteenth century, Iran’s most popular hot drink was coffee — however, its distant location from major coffee-producing countries meant that beans were difficult to obtain.

Tea was much easier to get in Iran, thanks to its land-based trade relationship with China called the “Silk Road.”

Tea became increasingly popular, and in 1882 with the seeds obtained from India, Iranians began to grow tea in their own country.

Thanks to the efforts of Prince Mohammad Mirza, better known as Kashef al Saltaneh. Today Iran has 32,000 hectares of plantations.

#10 Bangladesh. 81.850 tons.

Tea is grown in the northern and eastern districts, the highlands, with a temperate climate, humidity, and heavy rainfall that provide favorable ground for the production of high-quality tea.

Its production is mostly black tea and while it is a large producer of tea, it is still a large importer of tea, as it has a high domestic consumption.

#11 Argentina. 85.401 tons per year.

Black tea makes up the bulk of the tea grown in Argentina with the subtropical climate.

Providing ideal conditions for hybrid cultivation of Indians and Assamica variants.

Mate, a traditional herbal infusion, is made from the leaves of the yerba mate plant.

Is very popular in Argentina — and is, as we know, its national drink.

#12 Japan. 83.600 tons per year.

Despite their large production, the Japanese export less than 2% of the thousands of tons they produce, this is because they consume a lot!

Of the varieties they produce, about 99.9% is green tea. Japanese green teas are predominantly steamed.

With the “bancha” being the most basic version (the most common and of lower quality).

However, Green Tea offerings from Japan are diverse, including sencha, genmaicha, and hojicha.

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Which countries consume the most tea?

The countries with the highest consumption of tea are Turkey, the United Kingdom, and Ireland.

Although many tend to believe that consumption is higher in China or Japan.

The truth is that they do not have such a large consumption.

Although it is usually believed that they do.

China despite being one of the most populous countries in the world and the largest producer.

It does not consume it in so many large quantities.

The 10 countries that consume the most tea are the following:

Turkey
Ireland
United Kingdom
Russia
Morocco
New Zealand
Egypt
Poland
Japan
Saudi Arabia