Although the once booming tea industries in Azerbaijan and Georgia have long been in decline, interest in revitalizing the sector is gaining steam in both countries.

Tea has a long tradition in Azerbaijan and Georgia, where tea has been produced since the 19th century. The two countries became the main tea producers in the former Soviet Union and reached a peak in production in the mid-1980s. With an expected stronger demand for green tea and health and wellness teas as well as for high-quality black tea in developed markets, this brief suggests that these product categories should be the areas of focus for the Azerbaijani and Georgian tea industries during the next decade.

FAO and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) look at the countries’ potential to produce high quality and specialty teas. The joint FAO-EBRD sector review examines how the two countries can advance their tea industries and improve tea quality and profitability.