Recent statistics from China's customs authorities reveal that Morocco has solidified its position as the largest importer of Chinese tea in February, commanding a remarkable 15 percent of the total sales. Following closely behind, Japan and the United States also showcased significant interest in Chinese tea, while both Mauritania and Ivory Coast each accounted for a 7 percent share during the same period. Germany contributed 5 percent to the imports, and Russia's purchases surpassed 3 percent of total exports, with a notable 40 percent increase in its imports, amounting to around $3.5 million—a monthly growth of approximately 7 percent.
In an impressive display of growth, China’s tea exports in 2025 reached about 419,000 tonnes, buoyed by heightened production across key provinces such as Zhejiang, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan. Zhejiang stood out as the top province in terms of export volume, delivering more than 185,000 tonnes valued at $560 million. Anhui followed with 74,000 tonnes worth $280 million, while Hunan secured the third position with 56,000 tonnes valued at $160 million.
According to comprehensive data released in December by Chinese customs, the total value of tea exports surged to $1.55 billion last year, reflecting an 8.9 percent increase compared to the previous year, with export volumes also rising by 11.9 percent. Throughout the entire year, Morocco continued to lead as the foremost buyer of Chinese tea, followed by countries such as Senegal, Malaysia, Mauritania, Ghana, Ivory Coast, the United States, Japan, Uzbekistan, and Algeria. Collectively, these markets constituted 60.5 percent of the overall export value.
In terms of financial figures, exports to Morocco alone hit $280 million from January to December 2025, marking a significant annual growth of 14.7 percent. Notably, December's figures alone accounted for approximately $10 million. On a separate note, China also imported tea worth $1.8 billion last year, indicating a robust increase of 17.2 percent, with import volumes exceeding 6,000 tonnes. The primary sources for these imports included Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, Kenya, Taiwan, Thailand, Poland, Burundi, Uganda, and Myanmar, which together comprised 92.6 percent of the total import value.
As reported by en.hespress.com.
