International Tea Day 2021

International Tea Day 2021 

21 May 2021 

Statement by FAO Director-General, Dr. QU Dongyu

 

Excellencies,

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

1.I am pleased to address you today, as we are marking the Second edition of the International Tea Day.

2.Celebrating tea is celebrating peace, culture and hope.

3.Tea can play an important role in our journey to build back better.

4.Being the most widely consumed drink in the world after water, tea brings people together to share stories and ways of life.

5.Global consumption of tea increased by 3% over the last decade, with marked expansion in tea producing countries themselves.

6.Tea is also an important economic activity.

7.The global tea production is estimated at nearly 17 billion US dollars, with tea trade valued at about 8 billion US dollars annually.

8.Its export earnings are particularly important for many tea producing countries that rely on hard currencies to cover their food import bills.

9.The tea sector provides jobs and income to many of the poorest rural areas in the world, with smallholders contributing 60% of the global production.

10.Tea empowers individuals and communities to achieve food security and improve their nutritional wellbeing.

11.Still, there are a number of challenges to be addressed.

12.Balancing growth and sustainability at all stages of the value chain, for instance.

13.The sector needs to achieve greater sustainability, through strategies for climate change adaptation and mitigation, enhanced market transparency and sustainability of the tea value chain.

14.Policies for sustainable production that target smallholder growers are needed.

15.And there are climate risks: Tea can only be produced in narrowly defined agro-ecological conditions.

16.Extreme and more frequent weather events are affecting yields and tea product quality, lowering farmers’ incomes and threatening rural livelihoods.

17.We need to promote market transparency and economic sustainability of the tea value chain.

18.Economic sustainability protects small tea producers’ livelihoods within a competitive market environment.

19.Inclusiveness should be at the centre of sustainability.

20.Preserving the unique smallholder character of the tea sector is another challenge.

21.There is an urgent need to improve the smallholders’ business ecosystem.

22.Tea revenues are vital to fighting hunger, reducing poverty and empowering women while safeguarding ecosystems and biodiversity.

23.It is important to note that since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, demand for tea has seen a remarkable increase, thanks to in-home consumption.

24.More importantly, the market information collected by the FAO Intergovernmental Group on Tea shows an increase in the demand for tea by the youth.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

25.The International Tea Day is an excellent opportunity to renew our commitment to building an inclusive, sustainable and resilient tea sector.

26.The world economy is starting to recover.

27.Tea is a significant source of ingredients, incomes and inspirations and can help alleviate some of the burden resulting from the economic downturn, particularly for the rural poor.

28.The Day is also an occasion for all of us to come together to celebrate tea and salute the people who produce it.

29.I wish you a happy and healthy International Tea Day 2021.

Thank you.