Where Is Tea Grown?
Though tea originated in China thousands of years ago, commercial tea cultivation is now being practiced in dozens of countries around the world. Below is a list of countries we carry tea from, which focuses on the more popular/traditional origins. Not all of these are the largest producers, but in both historic and current terms they are the most significant.
About Chinese Tea
China is the largest tea producer in the world. Each region of China is so uniquely different from the others, that it’s better to consider them as individual locations rather than being lumped together as “Chinese.”
About Sri Lankan (Ceylon) Tea
Tea from Sri Lanka has always been primarily driven by export and still goes by its colonial name of “Ceylon” since this is the brand name it was built upon.
About Indian Tea
Though other types of tea are produced in India, the overwhelming focus from both a level of volume and expertise is black tea.
About Japanese Tea
In Japan there are three main tea producing regions: Shizuoka Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, and Kagoshima Prefecture. Other less popular tea growing areas include Fukuoka, Saga, Miyazaki, Nara, and Mie.
About Taiwanese Tea
The Taiwan tea industry produces about 16.5 million kg per year. Demand for local tea far exceeds supply, and Taiwan's focus on high-quality oolong teas means there is very little export and prices are high.
About Kenyan Tea
Kenya is the largest tea exporter in the world. Most of the tea produced there is inexpensive CTC black tea for export, but there are increasing efforts to produce high quality orthodox tea, particularly in the Nandi Hills of western Kenya.