The overall value of tea imported by all buyer countries rose by an average 1.2% since 2018 when global tea purchases cost $7.14 billion.
Year over year, the total dollar cost of imported tea flatlined via an 0.3% gain compared to $7.2 billion during 2021.
In 2022, the 5 most valuable import markets for tea are Pakistan, United States of America, United Arab Emirates, Russia, then the United Kingdom. Combined, those major importers accounted for almost a third (32.4%) of the worldwide sales of imported tea.
About three-quarters (75.4%) of globally imported tea was for purchases of black teas, with the remaining 24.6% for imported green teas.
From a continental perspective, Asian countries bought the most imported tea during 2022 with purchases totaling $3.2 billion or 44.2% of the worldwide total. In second place were European countries at 27.2% while another 15.2% of all tea imports was delivered to customers in Africa.
Smaller percentages went to North America (9.8%), Oceania (1.9%) led by Australia and New Zealand, then Latin America (1.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for tea is 0902.
Tea Imports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of tea during 2022.
- Pakistan: US$649 million (9% of total imported tea)
- United States: $559.7 million (7.7%)
- United Arab Emirates: $410.2 million (5.7%)
- Russia: $365.1 million (5.1%)
- United Kingdom: $356.1 million (4.9%)
- Egypt: $272.7 million (3.8%)
- Morocco: $257.1 million (3.6%)
- Germany: $251.6 million (3.5%)
- Hong Kong: $229.4 million (3.2%)
- Iran: $206.7 million (2.9%)
- Iraq: $175.2 million (2.4%)
- France: $170.8 million (2.4%)
- Japan: $166.5 million (2.3%)
- China: $146 million (2%)
- Vietnam: $140.5 million (1.9%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for tea since 2021 were: Vietnam (up 763.8%), United Arab Emirates (up 118.7%), Morocco (up 23.9%) and Egypt (up 23.3%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported tea purchases were led by: Iran (down -46.5%), mainland China (down -20.9%), Russia (down -16.3%) and Iraq (down -16.2%).
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 60.3% of all tea imported in 2022.
Tea Imports into Pakistan
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Pakistan imported the highest dollar value worth of tea during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- Kenya: US$536 million (up 7.67% from 2021)
- Rwanda: $33.3 million (down -3%)
- Uganda: $30 million (up 98.2%)
- Vietnam: $19 million (down -12.4%)
- Tanzania: $9.1 million (up 30.6%)
- Burundi: $7 million (down -28.4%)
- mainland China: $5.8 million (up 9.3%)
- Malawi: $5.6 million (up 932.5%)
- Indonesia: $2.6 million (up 8.4%)
- Sri Lanka: $245,000 (down -25.8%)
- Bangladesh: $176,000 (down -71.1%)
- Ethiopia: $15,000 (down -98.2%)
- United Arab Emirates: $11,000 (up 266.7%)
- India: $8,000 (2021 data unavailable)
- Kiribati: $7,000 (no change)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.995% of tea imported by Pakistan in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of tea to Pakistan since 2021 were: Malawi (up 932.5%), United Arab Emirates (up 266.7%), Uganda (up 98.2%) and Tanzania (up 30.6%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their tea supplied to Pakistani importers included: Ethiopia (down -98.2%), Bangladesh (down -71.1%), Burundi (down -28.4%) and Sri Lanka (down -25.8%).
Overall, the value of Pakistan’s imported tea rose by an average 8.8% from all supplying countries since 2021 when tea purchased cost $596.5 million.
Tea Imports into the United States
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which the United States imported the highest dollar value worth of tea during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- Japan: US$85.1 million (down -9.5% from 2021)
- mainland China: $73 million (up 20.9%)
- Argentina: $70.5 million (up 14.9%)
- India: $70 million (down -2.4%)
- Sri Lanka: $52.2 million (up 10.1%)
- Taiwan: $27.2 million (up 3.2%)
- Canada: $22.6 million (down -4.7%)
- Poland: $20.8 million (up 24.5%)
- United Kingdom: $20.1 million (up 8.2%)
- Germany: $18.8 million (up 11%)
- Malawi: $14.4 million (down -8.3%)
- Vietnam: $11.9 million (up 24.6%)
- United Arab Emirates: $7.9 million (up 3.5%)
- Thailand: $7.7 million (up 37.1%)
- Indonesia: $7.6 million (down -14%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 91.1% of tea imported by United States in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of tea to the United States of America since 2021 were: Thailand (up 37.1%), Vietnam (up 24.6%), Poland (up 24.5%) and mainland China (up 20.9%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their tea supplied to American importers included: Indonesia (down -14%), Japan (down -9.5%), Malawi (down -8.3%) and Canada (down -4.7%).
Overall, the value of America’s imported tea rose by an average 5.3% from all supplying countries since 2021 when tea purchased cost $531.7 million.
Tea Imports into the United Kingdom
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Britain imported the highest dollar value worth of tea during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- Kenya: US$135.5 million (up 5.1% from 2021)
- India: $55.8 million (up 25.7%)
- Malawi: $22.1 million (up 34.3%)
- Rwanda: $20.4 million (up 61.2%)
- Switzerland: $17.1 million (up 0.1%)
- mainland China: $17.1 million (up 50.8%)
- Sri Lanka: $15.6 million (up 50.3%)
- Tanzania: $11.9 million (up 38.6%)
- Poland: $11.4 million (down -23.1%)
- Germany: $5.2 million (up 28.6%)
- South Africa: $5.05 million (up 15.3%)
- Mozambique: $5.04 million (up 297.6%)
- Türkiye: $4.36 million (up 299.7%)
- Japan: $3.97 million (up 46.7%)
- Taiwan: $2.5 million (up 34.9%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 93.5% of tea imported by the UK in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of tea to the United Kingdom since 2021 were: Türkiye (up 299.7%), Mozambique (up 297.6%), Rwanda (up 61.2%) and mainland China (up 50.8%).
The lone top supplier to experience a decline in the value of tea supplied to UK’s importers was Poland, pulled down by a -23.1% reduction.
Overall, the value of United Kingdom’s imported tea went up by an average 17.5% from all supplying countries since 2021 when tea purchased cost $303.2 million.
Tea Imports into Egypt
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Egypt imported the highest dollar value worth of tea during 2022. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2021 to 2022.
- Kenya: US$243.4 million (up 39.3% from 2021)
- United Arab Emirates: $8 million (up 68.1%)
- Sri Lanka: $8 million (up 4.5%)
- India: $2.6 million (up 152.4%)
- mainland China: $2.5 million (up 12.4%)
- Saudi Arabia: $1.9 million (down -16.2%)
- Jordan: $1.4 million (down -65.8%)
- Rwanda: $1.3 million (up 235.1%)
- Malawi: $1.3 million (down -19.7%)
- Tanzania: $672,000 (down -6.1%)
- Poland: $502,000 (up 16.5%)
- Indonesia: $306,000 (up 7.4%)
- Uganda: $288,000 (up 38.5%)
- Vietnam: $135,000 (2021 data unavailable)
- United Kingdom: $121,000 (up 124.1%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.96% of tea imported by Egypt in 2022.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of tea to Egypt since 2021 were: Rwanda (up 235.1%), India (up 152.4%), United Kingdom (up 124.1%) and United Arab Emirates (up 68.1%).
Four top suppliers experienced declines in the value of their tea supplied to Egyptian importers, namely Jordan (down -65.8%), Malawi (down -19.7%), Saudi Arabia (down -16.2%) and Tanzania (down -6.1%).
Overall, the value of Egypt’s imported tea advanced by an average 23.3% from all supplying countries since 2021 when tea purchased cost $221.1 million.
Searchable List of Tea Importing Countries in 2022
Ranked in the database below, the 100 key import markets for tea accounted for 98.7% of the value of globally imported tea during 2022.
| Rank | Importer | Tea Imports | 2021-2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pakistan | $649,038,000 | +8.8% |
| 2. | United States | $559,658,000 | +5.3% |
| 3. | United Arab Emirates | $410,152,000 | +118.7% |
| 4. | Russia | $365,131,000 | -16.3% |
| 5. | United Kingdom | $356,108,000 | +17.5% |
| 6. | Egypt | $272,655,000 | +23.3% |
| 7. | Morocco | $257,055,000 | +23.9% |
| 8. | Germany | $251,619,000 | +2% |
| 9. | Hong Kong | $229,449,000 | -12.5% |
| 10. | Iran | $206,746,000 | -46.5% |
| 11. | Iraq | $175,179,000 | -16.2% |
| 12. | France | $170,820,000 | -2.7% |
| 13. | Japan | $166,462,000 | -4.4% |
| 14. | China | $146,027,000 | -20.9% |
| 15. | Vietnam | $140,479,000 | +763.8% |
| 16. | Poland | $139,892,000 | +12.3% |
| 17. | Canada | $139,878,000 | -1.2% |
| 18. | Netherlands | $121,353,000 | -7.6% |
| 19. | Ghana | $119,672,000 | -6.3% |
| 20. | Saudi Arabia | $115,993,000 | -38.6% |
| 21. | Australia | $113,481,000 | +4.5% |
| 22. | Kazakhstan | $92,557,000 | -17.1% |
| 23. | Taiwan | $84,405,000 | -4.7% |
| 24. | Malaysia | $79,330,000 | -10.7% |
| 25. | Belgium | $76,115,000 | -8.1% |
| 26. | Azerbaijan | $75,469,000 | +22% |
| 27. | Italy | $74,966,000 | -12.8% |
| 28. | Chile | $73,875,000 | +17.2% |
| 29. | Libya | $69,705,000 | +3.7% |
| 30. | Yemen | $60,252,000 | +24.2% |
| 31. | India | $57,310,000 | -3.5% |
| 32. | Afghanistan | $50,710,000 | +60.5% |
| 33. | Ukraine | $49,981,000 | -11.4% |
| 34. | Mali | $49,140,000 | +57.7% |
| 35. | Algeria | $47,765,000 | -7.9% |
| 36. | Singapore | $47,353,000 | +7.4% |
| 37. | Ireland | $46,269,000 | +8.5% |
| 38. | Spain | $43,691,000 | -15.6% |
| 39. | Uzbekistan | $42,102,000 | -1.7% |
| 40. | Sudan | $38,554,000 | -1.9% |
| 41. | South Africa | $36,899,000 | -1.8% |
| 42. | Switzerland | $36,537,000 | -9.4% |
| 43. | Jordan | $35,605,000 | -16.9% |
| 44. | Czech Republic | $34,384,000 | +16.3% |
| 45. | Syria | $32,702,000 | -19% |
| 46. | Indonesia | $29,761,000 | +29.3% |
| 47. | Sweden | $28,834,000 | -10.1% |
| 48. | South Korea | $26,223,000 | +5.3% |
| 49. | Austria | $25,229,000 | -0.4% |
| 50. | Qatar | $24,967,000 | -4.7% |
| 51. | Türkiye | $23,816,000 | -42.7% |
| 52. | Thailand | $22,970,000 | +0.5% |
| 53. | Mauritania | $22,737,000 | -6.4% |
| 54. | Gambia | $22,106,000 | +939.3% |
| 55. | Nigeria | $19,358,000 | -18.4% |
| 56. | Denmark | $19,317,000 | -22.4% |
| 57. | Norway | $17,396,000 | -7.3% |
| 58. | Cameroon | $16,932,000 | +1633% |
| 59. | Sri Lanka | $16,088,000 | -11.9% |
| 60. | Guinea | $15,880,000 | -27.3% |
| 61. | Lebanon | $15,804,000 | -30.5% |
| 62. | Philippines | $15,159,000 | +37.5% |
| 63. | New Zealand | $14,597,000 | -29.2% |
| 64. | Macao | $14,453,000 | +18.7% |
| 65. | Kuwait | $14,400,000 | -72.3% |
| 66. | Bahrain | $13,659,000 | -7.5% |
| 67. | Finland | $12,942,000 | +8.9% |
| 68. | Kyrgyzstan | $12,755,000 | -0.2% |
| 69. | Senegal | $11,811,000 | +90.5% |
| 70. | Tunisia | $11,676,000 | -14.7% |
| 71. | Hungary | $10,911,000 | -1.5% |
| 72. | Mexico | $10,825,000 | +23.4% |
| 73. | Lithuania | $10,576,000 | -6.1% |
| 74. | Israel | $10,281,000 | +2.9% |
| 75. | Ivory Coast | $9,899,000 | -15.5% |
| 76. | Latvia | $8,831,000 | -21.8% |
| 77. | Oman | $8,814,000 | -75.6% |
| 78. | Botswana | $8,085,000 | -6.6% |
| 79. | Georgia | $7,975,000 | +25.3% |
| 80. | Niger | $7,917,000 | -27.3% |
| 81. | Peru | $7,850,000 | +72.3% |
| 82. | Portugal | $7,700,000 | +16.5% |
| 83. | Somalia | $7,412,000 | -14.8% |
| 84. | Tajikistan | $7,308,000 | +11.1% |
| 85. | Moldova | $7,019,000 | -4.6% |
| 86. | Kenya | $6,578,000 | -53.7% |
| 87. | Romania | $6,400,000 | +28.4% |
| 88. | Greece | $6,382,000 | -8% |
| 89. | Estonia | $5,998,000 | -6% |
| 90. | Mongolia | $5,767,000 | +10.6% |
| 91. | Angola | $4,902,000 | +55.9% |
| 92. | Slovakia | $4,799,000 | +28.9% |
| 93. | Namibia | $4,462,000 | -2.4% |
| 94. | Fiji | $4,350,000 | +35.8% |
| 95. | Bulgaria | $4,185,000 | +22% |
| 96. | Turkmenistan | $4,042,000 | -55.4% |
| 97. | Laos | $4,000,000 | +72.9% |
| 98. | Congo | $3,820,000 | +592% |
| 99. | Belarus | $3,744,000 | -91.6% |
| 100. | Armenia | $3,655,000 | +28.4% |
Expanding the scope to the 100 leading buyer countries, the fastest-growing import markets for tea from 2021 to 2022 are Cameroon (up 1,633%), Gambia (up 939.3%), Vietnam (up 763.8%), Congo (up 592%), United Arab Emirates (up 118.7%) and Senegal (up 90.5%).
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns above. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2021 data was available.
See also Tea Exports by Country, Coffee Exports by Country, Coffee Imports by Country, Hot Chocolate Exports by Country and Wine Exports by Country
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on July 30, 2023
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 30, 2023
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on July 30, 2023
