PRODUCT CLASSIFICATION
Tea is a widely consumed beverage made by steeping processed leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant in hot water that comes in various forms such as loose leaves, in tea bags, or as ready-to-drink products, often enjoyed with milk, sugar or spices and known for its comforting taste and stimulating properties due to its caffeine content.
This type of drink is appreciated around the world for its cultural significance, health benefits and versatility, playing a central role in daily life, social gatherings, hospitality connection and, in many countries, it’s a symbol of warmth, connection and shared moments.
Tea is a part of Coffee, tea, mate & spices, a category of the Vegetable Products section that includes a wide range of related by-products like Black Tea (Fermented/Partly, >3kg packages), Black Tea (Fermented/Partly, <3kg packages), Green Tea (Unfermented, <3kg packages), and Green Tea (Unfermented, >3kg packages).
It also has a Product Complexity Index of -1.69, ranking 987 out of 1044 products in 2023.
This post will not consider the Tea trade in general, but it will be focused on the Pakistani market, the largest importer of this product in the world.
EXPORT
In 2023 Pakistan exported an amount of $18.9M of Tea, becoming the 34th largest exporter of this category out of 197 countries in the world, with an estimated percentage of 0.26 of share in global exports; during the same year, Tea was the 162nd most exported product in Pakistan out of 1129.
The main destinations of the country’s exports were
- United States - $8.8M;
- Saudi Arabia - $1.5M;
- Afghanistan - $1.4M;
- Italy - $853K;
- Australia - $773K.
IMPORT
In 2023 it was estimated that Pakistan imported around $611M worth of Tea, becoming the largest importer of the product out of 224 countries, with a 8.44% of share in global
imports; during the same year, Tea was the 17th most imported product in the country out of 1174.
It was imported primarily from
- Kenya - $513M;
- Rwanda - $26.7M;
- Uganda - $23.7M;
- Vietnam - $14.7M;
- Tanzania - $9.77M.
GROWTH POTENTIAL
According to the source, between 2022 and 2023 the fastest growing markets for the category’s import and exports in Pakistan were the following
MARKETS FOR TEA EXPORTS
- United States - +$3.37M;
- Germany - +$868K;
- Saudi Arabia - +$750K.
MARKETS FOR TEA IMPORTS
- Malawi - $4.22M;
- India - $1.89M;
- United Arab Emirates - $1.46M.
CONCLUSIONS
In 2023 the Tea category remained deeply embodied into Pakistan’s everyday life, from roadside stalls to family kitchens, continuing to be a symbol of hospitality, comfort and social connection.
Despite challenges in local production, the enduring relationship with the product reflects not only a national preference, but also a growing interest in building a more self-sufficient and sustainable industry in the future.
Source: https://oec.world/en
