A refreshing glass of iced tea
The general consensus is that tea is the second most consumed beverage in the world—after water.
The good news for tea lovers, producers, and the industry as a whole is that global consumption continues to rise.
According to findings from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), tea drinking has been steadily increasing worldwide.
Growing Global Consumption
The FAO’s Intergovernmental Group on Tea reported that global tea consumption reached approximately four million tonnes in 2010—an increase of 5.6% from the previous year.
Production trends followed a similar pattern:
- Black tea production increased by 5.5%
- Green tea production increased by 1.9%
Strong demand—particularly for black tea—has even led to higher market prices in some cases.
Why Is Tea Consumption Increasing?
The FAO attributes this growth largely to rising income levels in emerging economies, especially in countries like China and India.
Although these two countries are the largest tea producers in the world, they have not traditionally ranked among the top tea consumers on a per capita basis.
However, due to their large populations, they still account for a significant portion of total global consumption.
Recent growth figures include:
- China: +8.2% (2009), +1.4% (2010)
- India: +2.4% (2009), +1% (2010)
You can explore global rankings in more detail with
this list of tea consumption by country and per capita usage statistics
.
Looking Ahead
The FAO projects continued growth in the tea industry:
- Black tea production is expected to grow at just under 2% annually over the next decade
- Overall tea consumption is predicted to increase at a similar rate
- Green tea production is expected to grow even faster, with much of that growth coming from China
Learn More
For further details, you can read
this FAO tea market summary report covering global production and consumption trends
or explore
official FAO Intergovernmental Group on Tea meeting resources and data reports
.
With steady global demand and expanding production, the future of tea looks strong—and increasingly global.
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