Morocco Tops Chinese Tea Imports
Recent data from Chinese customs has revealed that Morocco has emerged as the leading importer of Chinese tea as of February 2026, accounting for an impressive 15% of total Chinese tea exports during that month. Following Morocco, Japan and the United States ranked second and third, respectively, with Mauritania and Ivory Coast each capturing 7% of China's tea sales.
In the same period, Germany sourced 5% of China’s tea exports, while Russia imported slightly over 3% of the total. Notably, Russia has seen a substantial increase in its tea imports, surging by approximately 40%, translating to a value of around $3.5 million, with a month-over-month rise of about 7%.
Growth in Chinese Tea Exports
Official statistics indicate that China's tea exports experienced remarkable growth last year, reaching approximately 419,000 tons. This surge is attributed to increased production in major provinces, particularly Zhejiang, Anhui, Hunan, Hubei, Fujian, Jiangxi, Henan, Yunnan, Guizhou, and Sichuan. Notably, Zhejiang province led the way with over 185,000 tons of tea exported, valued at around $560 million. Anhui and Hunan followed, exporting 74,000 tons (valued at $280 million) and 56,000 tons (valued at $160 million), respectively.
According to December statistics from Chinese customs, the total value of tea exports from China last year reached $1.55 billion, reflecting an annual increase of 8.9%. Additionally, the quantity of tea exported rose by an annual rate of 11.9%. Morocco once again stood out as the leading buyer of Chinese tea last year, followed by Senegal, Malaysia, Mauritania, Ghana, Ivory Coast, the United States, Japan, Uzbekistan, and Algeria, which collectively accounted for 60.5% of the total value of China’s tea exports.
From January to December 2025, tea exports to Morocco were valued at $280 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 14.7%. In December alone, exports to Morocco were approximately $10 million. Meanwhile, last year, China imported $1.8 billion worth of tea, showing a 17.2% increase, which amounts to over 6,000 tons. The primary sources of these imports included Sri Lanka, India, Vietnam, Kenya, Taiwan, Thailand, Poland, Burundi, Uganda, and Myanmar, collectively representing 92.6% of China’s total tea import value.
As reported by hespress.com.
