Vietnam exported 88,000 tonnes of tea in the first eight month of
the year, earning 140 million USD, according to the Ministry of
Agriculture and Rural Development.
Last month alone, the country exported 14,000 tonnes of tea, bringing a turnover of 23 million USD.
The average price of exported tea reached 1.584 USD per tonne last
month, representing a 4.9 percent increase on the same period last year.
However, tea volume exported to Pakistan, Vietnam’s
biggest customer, fell 19.2 and 19.15 percent in terms of quality and
value respectively.
The ministry said tea exports saw a surge in
the US (36.5 percent), United Arab Emirates (43.2 percent), Germany (7.9
percent), and Poland (18.3 percent) against the corresponding period
last year, helping to cushion the blew.
Doan Anh Tuan, chairman
of the Vietnam Tea Association said tea production, processing and
consumption have seen high growth in the past few years.
However,
the sector has faced shortcomings due to its small production scale.
Farming households, which accounted for 65 percent of total tea growing
areas, were only 70-75 percent as capable as larger businesses.
Enterprises and farmers also lacked distribution networks, he added.
He said the sector should review its planning and arrange tea
processing plants. Each plant should ha plantations and policies to
encourage farmers to become shareholders.
In addition, the country should build a centre to verify tea quality, according to international standards.-VNA