Vietnam’s tea exporters gained momentum in 2022, thanks in part to unexpected Russian demand for black tea and higher sales to buyers in the United States.
In the first 11 months of 2022, Vietnam earned $249 million on the sale of 154,000 metric tons of tea, up 11.1% in value and 10.7% in volume compared to all of 2021, according to the International Trade Center. Vietnam’s tea exports generated $224 million in 2021 on sales of 139,000 metric tons.
Exports to the U.S. grew to $21.6 million in 2022, up 25% in value on an 11% increase in volume. The double-digit growth may represent, in part, transshipments of Chinese tea via Vietnam to avoid tariffs.
Unit value declined to $1.62 per kilogram, down 4% from $1.68 in 2021. But this is still well above Vietnam’s average export price of $1.10 per kg in 2021. The world average price was $2.20 in 2022. Sri Lanka earned prices averaged $4.46 per kg for exports of black tea, while rival black tea supplier China reported an average export price of $2.27 per kg.
Vietnam’s shipments of green tea accounted for 55,200 metric tons, about one-third of its total tea exports, and were valued at $104 million in 2022. Export prices for Vietnamese green tea averaged $1.88 per kg in 2022, according to Vietnam’s Ministry of Industry and Trade.