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Tea exports gain in five month period
Viet Nam's tea industry showed an increase in export volume and value in the first five months of this year, one of few economic sectors to show a gain.
The General Statistic Office reported that the nation exported 40,000 tonnes of tea in the period, earning US$50 million, showing a year-on-year increase of 17.5 per cent in volume and 13.4 per cent in value compared with the same period last year.
In May alone, the country exported 9,000 tonnes of tea, earning $11 million.
Viet Nam Tea Association Chairman Nguyen Kim Phong said the industry achieved its results by improving quality and ensuring hygiene and food safety.
During the economic crisis, the industry had a strategy to increase export volume and cut the price to attract more customers, Phong said.
The strategy included modernising processing, increasing capacity and quality and running training courses for farmers.
At present, the export price of tea has been cut $10 per tonne to $1,248 compared to the same period last year.
But farmers could still gain a profit of $100-200 per tonne from export tea products because production and processing had saved costs, he said.
Viet Nam plans to export 117,000 tonnes of tea this year, earning $167 million, according to Phong.
The export value of tea for this year was expected to show a year-on-year increase of 13.6 per cent, he said, adding that the industry was one of few which had targeted increased exports.
The association planned to build a tea trading floor and the Viet Nam Tea Museum in the Viet Nam Agricultural Product Fair and Exhibition. It also expected to host an international tea conference this year to advertise CheViet, the national tea trademark.
However, Phong said, this year, the tea industry still had an obstacle in that its customers had difficulty paying.
Viet Nam exports tea products to 110 countries and territories under the trademark of CheViet, which is registered and protected in 70 countries and territories.
VietNamNet, VietNamNews
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