Tea

General information

Viet Nam currently ranks fifth in the world for tea cultivation area and sixth for production. As of 2024, tea is grown in 34 provinces with a total area of about 120–130 thousand hectares, yielding around 1 million tons of fresh tea buds, equivalent to 190–200 thousand tons of dried tea. Major tea-growing areas are concentrated in the northern midland and mountainous regions, with key provinces including Thái Nguyên, Hà Giang, Phú Thọ, and Lâm Đồng. Viet Nam cultivates over 170 tea varieties, ensuring stable quality and high productivity.

Viet Nam exports tea to over 70 countries and territories, mainly Pakistan, China, Russia, and Indonesia, with an annual export volume of about 145–150 thousand tons worth approximately USD 240 million. Domestic consumption is estimated at 45–50 thousand tons, valued at about USD 320 million.

Despite steady growth, the tea sector faces challenges such as small-scale farming (average 0.2 ha/household), limited irrigation (only 7%), low compliance with food safety standards, weak linkage between production and processing (only 10% of processors have their own material zones), and shrinking cultivation area due to land-use shifts. In addition, infrastructure investment and preservation of traditional tea varieties remain inadequate

a) Organization structure and objectives:

The PPP TF on Tea was established in 2010 and is now co-chaired by the Plant Production and Protection Department and The Viet Nam Tea Association (VITAS) 

The PPP Task Force on Tea focuses on supporting smallholder producers to improve product standards, working in partnership with government, NGOs and the private sector, building comprehensive national capacity, ensuring the long-term economic, environmental and social sustainability of the Vietnamese tea market so as to expand the export market access of Vietnamese tea.

b) Key outcomes:

Over the past few years, the PPP TF on Tea has achieved remarkable achievements in integrating technical guidelines for cultivation and processing to improve the quality of Vietnamese tea for exports. Businesses participating in the PPP TF invested 440,000 Euros to train and link production models with more than 23,000 farmers in six provinces.

The PPP TF on Tea is working with the agro-chemicals TF to develop a value chain project to guide smallholders and help them improve their standards. Working in partnership with government, NGOs and the private sector, the PPP working group is developing good production methods (building and training capacity for sustainable tea farmers, using proper and allowed agrochemicals, towards getting certification such as Rainforest Alliance certification, UTZ certification, etc.) for inclusion into the national program.

The Plant Production and Protection Department, the National Center for Agricultural Extension, the Northern Mountainous Science and Training Institute, the Vietnam Tea Association, IDH and enterprises are collaborating to develop a set of guidelines for sustainable tea production.

Members

MAE – Plant Production and Protection Department (Co-Chair)

VietNam Tea Association (VITAS) (Co-Chair)

Asia Tea Company Ltd.

Ban Lien Cooperative

Cam Khe Tea Co., Ltd.

Cao Bo Tea Co., Ltd.

Cau Dat Tea Co., Ltd. (CADACO)

CropLife Viet Nam

Future Generation Vinh Phuc Company Ltd.

HaTinh Tea Co., Ltd.

Hai Thai Thai Nguyen Co., Ltd.

Henry P.Thompson Inc.

Hoang Long Tea Co., Ltd.

Huu Hao Tea Processing Co., Ltd.

Kien Tuan Tea Cooperative

Lam Dong Tea JSC (LADOTEA)

MARD–Department of Plant Protection

MARD–National Agricultural Extension Center (NAEC)

My Lam Tea JSC

Nam Anh Import and Export JSC

Nam LongTea Co., Ltd.

Nghe An Tea Development Investment Company Ltd.

Oriented Dragon Import and Export Co., Ltd.

Phu Ha Tea Co., Ltd.

Phu Lam International Trading Co., Ltd.

Phuc Khoa Cooperative

Phuong Nam Tea &Trading Co., Ltd.

Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARDs) in Phu Tho, Yen Bai, Son La, Dien Bien, Lao Cai, Ha Giang, Lai Chau

Quang Binh Tea Investment Ltd.

Rainforest Alliance Ransfer Viet Shanam Co., Ltd.

SSOE Phu Tho Tea Company Ltd.

Suoi Giang Cooperative

Tam Duong Tea JSC

Thai Nguyen Import-Export JSC(BATIMEX)

Than Uyen Tea JSC

Thang Long Tea Trading & Services JSC

Ton Vinh Tea Co., Ltd.

URC Viet Nam Ltd. (Universal Robina Corporation)

Van Luong Tea Processing Factory

Viet Nam National Tea Corporation (VINATEA Co., Ltd.)