Iran exported 27,272 tons of tea worth $27.99 million to 25 countries in the last Iranian year (March 2021-22), registering a 68% and 77% growth compared with the year before, according to the spokesperson of the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration.
“Our top five export destinations during the period were the UAE with 8,304 tons worth $8.77 million, Turkey with 2,904 tons worth $3.53 million, Russia with 2,598 tons worth $3,09 million, India with 2,538 tons worth $2.37 million and Iraq with 2,195 tons worth $1.99 million,” Rouhollah Latifi was also quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
The above-mentioned counties, the official added, were followed by Turkmenistan with 1,360 tons worth $1.78 million, Uzbekistan with 1,872 tons worth $1.7 million, Tajikistan with 1,601 tons worth $1.69 million, Kenya with 1,019 tons worth $935,880, Kazakhstan with 647 tons worth $599,211 and Afghanistan with 496 tons worth $496,431.
“Other main customers of Iranian tea were Germany, Ukraine, Lebanon, Georgia, the UK, China, the Netherlands, Kuwait, Finland, Switzerland, Canada, Belgium, Azerbaijan and Australia,” he said.
Meanwhile, 75,379 tons of tea worth $386.16 million were imported into Iran from 10 countries during the same period.
“India with 34,285 tons worth $168 million was the main exporter, followed by Sri Lanka with 18,326 tons worth $107 million, the UAE with 14,368 tons worth $71.57 million, Turkey with 4,593 tons worth $23 million and Kenya with 1,471 tons worth $5.8 million. We also made imports from Iraq, Vietnam, Germany, China and Afghanistan over the period under review,” Latifi said.
The last tea harvest season in Iran ended in November 2021 and a total of 137,000 tons of fresh tea leaves worth 7.6 trillion rials ($26 million) were harvested, according to the head of Iran Tea Organization.
Habibollah Jahansaz added that a total of 31,000 tons of processed tea were derived from last year’s yields, showing a close to 4% increase compared with the year before.
“A total of 5 million tons of tea are produced globally every year and Iran is currently the world’s 12th biggest cultivator. Iranian tea is among the finest produced across the world and cultivated pesticide-free, therefore, no pollutants or residue chemicals affect its quality, health and taste,” he said.
There are currently 28,000 hectares of tea plantations in Iran, 22,000 hectares of which bear yields, according to Iran Tea Organization.
More than 55,000 farmers earn their living through tea cultivation in Iran’s northern provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran where the product is considered an economically strategic commodity.
Some 90% of Iran’s tea plantations are located in Gilan Province.
Lahijan County in eastern Gilan is known as Iran’s tea production capital.
Iran's Tea Association has put domestic demand for tea at 120,000 tons per annum.
