Introduced by the French in the 1880s, tea became one of the most important sources of revenue for the nation until the Vietnam War. Since then, the industry has recovered and gained momentum in the past 25 years. As of 2025, Vietnam produces 1.1 million tons of tea per year.
Turkey
Tea is such an inseparable part of Turkish culture that it features on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list. Not surprisingly, it is also one of the most consumed beverages in the country. Turkey produces 1.3 million tons of tea per year, as of 2025.
Sri Lanka
A former British colony, tea cultivation started when British planters sought options to replace diseased coffee plantations in the middle of the 19th century. Today, Sri Lanka has a booming tea industry and, as of 2025, produces 1.4 million tons of tea annually.
Kenya
Kenya is the largest tea producer in Africa. Introduced by colonial settlers in the early decades of the 20th century, tea has now become one of the most important cash crops in the country. The total tea produced in Kenya is 2.5 million tons per year, as of 2025.
India
India has been cultivating tea since the early 17th century, when the British discovered tea plants and introduced select species from China to the hilly states of east India. The country has one of the largest tea-producing regions in the world: Assam and Darjeeling. As of 2025, India produces close to six million tons of tea per year.
China
The land where tea was first discovered holds the top spot in its production. China dominates the market by fulfilling 30-50% of the global supply. China produces about 14.5 million tons of tea every year, according to 2025 figures.
Story By Stars Insider
Sources: (Worldostats) (FAOSTAT) (Tea How)
Compiled By: Tesfu Alemayehu
August 6, 2026 2.7K 2
