Tea Blog

I have to admit that I was only vaguely aware of the Seychelles until recently—mainly because of its reputation as a vacation destination.

For those unfamiliar, the Seychelles is an island nation off the east coast of Africa made up of more than 100 islands. With its warm climate and stunning beaches, tourism is its primary industry.

The Seychelles might not be the first place that comes to mind when thinking about tea production. Then again, the same could be said about countries like the United States or England, where tea is also grown in relatively small quantities.

Tea production is such a minor part of the Seychelles economy that it’s barely mentioned in general descriptions of the country.

However, it’s not entirely surprising that tea is grown there. Africa is one of the world’s leading tea-producing regions, and Kenya—one of the continent’s major tea producers—is located directly to the west of the Seychelles.

Despite its relatively small population and modest production levels, the Seychelles stands out when it comes to tea consumption.

On a per capita basis, the country ranks among the world’s top tea drinkers—just behind the United Kingdom. Average consumption is just over four and a half pounds per person annually, only slightly lower than in the UK.

Tea Production in the Seychelles

For more information about local tea production, you can explore this overview of the Seychelles tea factory in Sans Souci on Mahé Island.

Established in 1962, this government-run facility is responsible for cultivating and producing tea within the country.

Additional background can be found in this report on tea production and the SeyTe brand in the Seychelles, which notes that tea cultivation in the country began around 1960 and today includes both locally grown tea and imported leaves from Sri Lanka.

See more of William I. Lengeman’s articles in this archive of tea-related writings by the author.

© Online Stores, Inc., and The English Tea Store Blog. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Excerpts allowed with proper credit.