A total 3,376 tons of Iranian tea worth $3.28 million were exported to 20 countries in the first two months of the current Iranian year (March 21-May 21), according to the executive manager of the Tea Factories Syndicate.
“Over the same period, 12,623 tons of tea worth $62.83 million were imported,” Sadeq Hassani was also quoted as saying by Young Journalists Club.
The official noted that green tea leaf harvest in Iran’s northern provinces since the beginning of the year up until June 27 reached 56,700 tons worth 5 trillion rials (around $15 million).
“Due to low precipitation levels and high temperatures, domestic tea production is expected to decline this year,” he added.
Last year (March 2021-22), about 137,000 tons of fresh tea leaves worth 7.6 trillion rials ($23 million) were harvested in Iran, registering a 3% and 48% rise in weight and value respectively compared with the previous year’s figures, the head of Iran Tea Organization told Mehr News Agency.
"A total of 31,000 tons of processed tea were derived from last year’s yields, showing close to a 4% increase compared with the preceding year’s output,” Habibollah Jahansaz added.
A total of 5 million tons of tea are produced globally every year and Iran currently ranks the world’s 12th biggest cultivator. Iranian tea is among the finest produced across the globe and is cultivated pesticide-free, therefore no pollutants or residue chemicals mar its quality, health and taste.
There are currently 28,000 hectares of tea plantations in the country, 22,000 hectares of which bear yields, according to Iran Tea Organization figures.