The origins of tea stretch back more than 5 000 years, but its
contributions to health, culture and socioeconomic development are still
as relevant today. Tea is currently grown in very localized areas, and
supports over 13 million people, including smallholder farmers and their
households, who depend on the tea sector for their livelihoods.
International
Tea Day is an opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage, health
benefits and economic importance of tea, while working to make its
production sustainable “from field to cup” ensuring its benefits for
people, cultures and the environment continue for generations.
Observance of International Tea Day 2026
Thursday, 21 May 2026 | 10.00 – 16.00 (CEST)
FAO headquarters (Atrium and FAO MuNe – FoodS Lab)
Sustaining Tea, Supporting Communities
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has the pleasure to inform Members that the celebration of International Tea Day 2026 will be held on Thursday, 21 May 2026 at 10:00 (CEST) at FAO headquarters, in the Atrium and the FAO Museum and Network (FAO MuNe) – FoodS Lab.
The event will be inaugurated by the FAO Director-General, QU Dongyu, and will highlight tea’s contributions to livelihoods, cultural heritage, and sustainability of agrifood systems, while placing tea-growing communities at the centre of the observance.
The inauguration will feature a cultural opening performance by the Wuzhishan Rainforest Children’s Choir from Hainan Province, China, followed by an exclusive and varied tea tasting experience.
The afternoon programme, hosted in the FAO MuNe FoodS Lab, will feature interactive sessions showcasing tea traditions, demonstrations, and cultural practices by participating countries. The sessions will also be streamed on screens in the Atrium.
The provisional programme of the event can be accessed here: www.fao.org/international-tea-day
For more information, please contact: [email protected]
#InternationalTeaDay #TeaDay #FarmedWithCare
Celebrating tea
Recognizing the long history and the cultural and economic significance of tea around the world, as well as the significant role it plays in rural development, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 May as International Tea Day, calling on FAO to lead the observance.
Tea production and processing are a main source of livelihoods for millions of families. The celebration promotes the sustainable production, consumption, and trade of tea, and offers an opportunity for actors at global, regional and national levels to ensure that the tea sector continues to play a role in reducing extreme poverty, fighting hunger and safeguarding natural resources.
Farmed With Care
28/05/2025
Wherever we are in the world, whatever the hardships or challenges we face, the simple act of drinking a cup of tea provides a welcome pause, a moment...
Key messages
- Tea production and processing represent a source of livelihoods for millions of families, including millions in the least developed countries.
- The tea sector is a multi-billion-dollar industry that supports economies and contributes to sustainable agrifood systems.
- Tea export earnings help to finance food import bills, supporting the economies of major tea-producing countries.
- The tea sector plays a vital role in socio-economic development, representing a major source of employment and income for millions of poor families worldwide.
- Tea production and processing empower individuals—especially women—by promoting economic inclusion and strengthening community resilience.
- Tea thrives in very specific agro-ecological conditions and environments, which are often impacted by climate variability.
- Smallholder tea producers, who play a central role in the sector, need our support to strengthen their business model and environment, and to overcome the challenges they face.
- Efficient, transparent, and sustainable value chains – from field to cup – are critical to ensuring benefits for both people and the environment.
Interesting facts about tea
Smallholder tea producers
Smallholders are responsible for
60 percent of world tea production.
Popular drink
Tea is the most consumed beverage in
the world, after water.
Tea consumption
Tea per capita consumption worldwide increased by 2.1 percent per year over the last decade.
Global tea production
Global tea production amounts to
around USD 19.5 billion annually.
Tea trade
The value of total tea trade is estimated at around USD 9.4 billion annually.
World tea production
In 2025, world production of tea is estimated at around 7.3 million tonnes.
Tea imports
Total imports of tea in 2025 amounted to an estimated 2.0 million tonnes.
FAO Intergovernmental Group
The FAO Intergovernmental Group on Tea leads multilateral efforts to support the world tea economy.
Did you know?
- Tea is one of the world’s oldest beverages and is the most consumed drink in the world, after water.
- Tea holds deep cultural and social significance in many communities worldwide, representing not only a widely consumed beverage but also an important symbol of hospitality, tradition, and social connection.
- Tea is available in many varieties, which differ according to the applied oxidation and fermentation technique.
- Tea cultivation provides employment and income to millions of smallholder growers, who are supplementing or even replacing production of larger tea estates in many countries.
- While three quarters of tea produced is consumed domestically, tea is a widely traded commodity.
- Over the past decades, the global tea industry has seen rapid growth, with a rising number of consumers globally.
- Despite the increase of tea consumption in the major producing countries, per capita consumption remains relatively low, suggesting there is still considerable growth potential in these countries.
- Six tea cultivation sites have been designated by FAO as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), of which four are located in China, one in Japan, and one in the Republic of Korea.
Related links
See also
Highlights
International Tea Day 2025, Markets and Trade Talks: Speaker’s Corner, FAO Headquarters Atrium
20/05/2025
Tea Landscapes and Living Heritage and Teas from Around the World – Country Spotlights: Azerbaijan, China, Indonesia. International Tea Day 2025. FAO Headquarters (Atrium)
Contact
Publications
Current global market situation and medium term outlook
16/05/2024
World tea output increased in 2022, prompted by rising production in some of the major producing countries. Output of green tea and “other” tea offset declining black tea production caused by a crop shortfall in Sri Lanka (the third largest producer of black tea). Global tea consumption expanded by 2.0 percent in 2022 compared to 2021, underpinned by strong import demand.
Assessing the carbon footprint of tea production: case studies and challenge
16/05/2024
Understanding the environmental impact of the entire tea value chain can help identify hotspots for improving and designing sustainable solutions to enable the sector to play its part in the transformative process needed to transit into greener agrifood systems. The objective of this document is to propose a methodology to measure the carbon footprint of the tea sector, and examine the data requirements and some other critical aspects in relation to the implementation of the proposed method.
Changes in the global tea trade network
16/05/2024
This document describes the evolution of global patterns of tea trade between 2005 and 2020. Based on a network analytical approach, it is shown that most countries traded tea with more partners in 2020 compared with 2005. Especially on the export side, the structure of the tea trade network appears to have undergone some decentralization, in which trade became relatively less concentrated in individual trade hubs.
Tea sector review – Azerbaijan
15/12/2022
Global tea production increased from 4 to over 6 million tonnes between 2007 and 2017 (See Figure E1). However, increasing tea consumption and production is mostly due to population growth in producing countries and not to consumption growth in high-value importing markets.
Tea sector review - Georgia
01/05/2022
This study was produced under an FAO-EBRD Cooperation project on reviewing the development potential of the tea sectors of Azerbaijan and Georgia. As a result of the joint research in the two countries carried out as part of the project, a similar separate review of the Azerbaijani tea sector was also published under the FAO Investment Centre's Knowledge for Investment (K4I) programme.
Potential brewing for Azerbaijani and Georgian tea industries
01/05/2021
Although global tea production increased from 4.3 to 6.5 million tonnes between 2009 and 2019, this was mostly due to the population growth in producing countries and not to consumption growth in high-value importing markets (FAOSTAT, 2021)
Carbon neutral tea production in China – Three pilot case studies
01/05/2021
The Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Use (AFOLU) sector is responsible for about 25 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, but can also be an important part of the solution to climate change, through adaptation and mitigation efforts.
Reigniting the engine of growth
01/05/2021
This report finds that the decline in the tea sector in Mauritius is the result of uncoordinated institutional actions, the absence of comprehensive policy and national strategies, weak legislation and regulatory framework.
Multimedia
Honouring women around the world, from crop to cup
23/05/2024
Tea is more than a commodity, it’s a culture, a way of life. A universal symbol of comfort and good health. Much more than a beverage, tea generates employment and income worldwide, enriching the livelihoods of millions of people, empowering whole communities to thrive over generations, and providing stability in an ever-changing world.
Waris Ahluwalia exchanging with his mother on the importance of tea on International Tea Day 2024
21/05/2024
For International Tea Day 2024, multi-hyphenate (actor-model-designer-entrepreneur) Waris Ahluwalia - who was born in Punjab, India - exchanges with his mother, Durshan Ahluwalia on the importance of tea, and the importance of tea in their lives. Film directed by Danny Sangra.
Discover the rich heritage of five traditional tea cultivation systems
21/05/2024
Discover the rich heritage of five traditional tea cultivation systems The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has designated five incredible tea production areas as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) for their combination of unique landscapes, agricultural heritage and traditional farming methods passed down for generations.
Farmed With Care
28/05/2025
Wherever we are in the world, whatever the hardships or challenges we face, the simple act of drinking a cup of tea provides a welcome pause, a moment of reflection. Farmed for millennia in lush fields across the world, tea is a story of craftsmanship and dedication, a universally loved drink that is more than a simple beverage.
International Tea Day 2023 | Celebrating tea (Event highlights)
17/08/2023
Recognising the long history and the cultural and economic significance of tea around the world, as well as the significant role it plays in rural development, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 May as International Tea Day, calling on FAO to lead the observance.
Bringing people together over a cup of tea
17/05/2023
Tea is an age-old symbol of wellbeing that appears in the arts, literature, music and boasts countless colours and varieties. Around the world, tea is our most-loved drink, after water. But tea is more than just a shared experience. To millions of farmers in developing countries, tea is the main source of income.
International Tea Day 2023 | Bringing people together over a cup of tea
19/05/2023
Tea is an age-old symbol of wellbeing that appears in the arts, literature, music and boasts countless colours and varieties. Around the world, tea is our most-loved drink, after water. But tea is more than just a shared experience.
Tea: a cup of pure comfort
27/06/2022
In the last two years our world has experienced some dramatic changes. COVID-19 has shaken the foundations of our way of life. In turbulent times one feelgood gesture has connected populations across the globe. The simple act of sharing a cup of tea. We prepare tea in many ways, but this ancient ritual stretches beyond cultures. Tea is a culture in itself.
Tea and coffee: The aroma of unity
19/10/2021
These beverages are more than just a brew, they embody hundreds of years of knowledge that spans across generations. Tea and coffee are linked to many potential health benefits, as mounting scientific evidence has shown. To millions of farmers in the poorest parts of the world, however, tea and coffee represent a source of income, livelihoods and a ladder out of poverty.
Tea: A Resilient Sector
21/05/2021
The origins of tea stretch back more than 5 000 years, but its contributions to health, culture and socioeconomic development are still as relevant today. Tea is currently grown in very localized areas, and supports over 13 million people, including smallholder farmers and their households, who depend on the tea sector for their livelihoods.