Last week marked World Tea Day, which is considered the second most consumed beverage globally after water, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Global tea production reached 6.7 million tons in 2022, with China being the leading producer, followed by India, Kenya, and Sri Lanka. "Statista" predicts that the global tea market will reach $134.4 billion by 2025, as reported in "Al-Akhbar."
In Lebanon, tea ranks second after coffee in terms of imported quantities. Over the past six years, from 2018 to 2023, 20,000 tons of tea valued at $131 million entered the Lebanese market, according to Lebanese customs data. Packaged black tea and loose leaf tea accounted for 75% of the imported quantity, followed by tea bags, and lastly green tea. Sri Lanka was the leading country from which Lebanon imported tea, accounting for 83% of imports, followed by Egypt at 12%.
Tea consumption in Lebanon has not been affected by the crisis. In 2018, Lebanon imported 4,000 tons of tea compared to 3,000 tons in 2020, but imports rose slightly in 2021, recording 3.7 thousand tons. There has also been an increase in the price of imported tea over the last six years. In 2018, the average import price per ton was $6,600, which increased by 10% in 2023 to reach $7,400, according to "Al-Akhbar."
