UN Report Shows China Is world's Largest Tea Consumption Country

China is the world's largest tea consumption and production country in 2010, according to a U.N. report issued on Feb. 29.

Total world tea consumption increased by 5.6 percent in 2010 to 4 million tonnes, bolstered by the rapid growth in per capita income levels, particularly in China, India and other emerging economies, according to the report published by Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Total tea consumption in China increased by 8.2 percent in 2009, and 1.4 percent in 2010 to reach 1.06 million tonnes, the largest in the world, the report said

Meanwhile, world tea production increased by 4.2 percent to 4.1 million tonnes in 2010. Black tea output increased by 5.5 percent thanks to record prices, while green tea output increased by 1.9 percent.

China remained the world's largest tea producing country in 2010 with an output of 1.4 million tonnes and a 33-percent share of the world's total production.

Early forecasts for 2012 indicate prices for tea, which averaged 2.85 U.S. dollars per kilogram in 2011, to continue to rise this year, according to the report.

The higher tea prices resulted in an estimated 2.2 percent increase in the export earnings of producing countries in 2011, significantly benefiting their rural incomes and household food security.

Source: Xinhua