Tea exports decline by about 5%

Tea exports reached 33,000 tonnes in the first four months of this year, worth US$46 million, said the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Exports dipped by 5 per cent in volume and value in comparison with the same period last year, said Nguyen Viet Chien, Director of the Ministry's Department of Information and Statistics.

Nguyen Van Thu, Chairman of the Viet Nam Tea Association, said the modest drop in exports was insignificant because sales last year were at a record high.

The association said it expected the total tea-export value to increase by 10 per cent to $200 million this year compared with 2010, while the export volume was expected to remain unchanged due to limited supply.

Thu said the export price of Vietnamese tea was 60-70 per cent of the world price but still 50 per cent up on last year.

The increase in the export price was attributed to improved quality. The tea association has also run training course for growers, Thu said.

The most popular export brands are Tan Cuong, Van Tai and La Bang.

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