The head of the Iranian Tea Organization reported that dry tea production in the country reached 26,500 tons since the beginning of the current harvest season, representing a 23 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
Dry tea production increased by 23%
Habib Jahansaz from the Ministry of Agriculture noted that the harvest season on tea plantations in the provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran is approaching its fourth picking. He added that as the collection and processing of green tea leaves continue, dry tea production will grow until the end of the season.
The head of the country's Tea Organization, citing the purchase of about 118,000 tons of green tea leaves from tea producers so far, specified that approximately 45 percent of the total volume of purchased green leaves was first grade, and 55 percent was second grade. The cost of this purchase exceeded 4,177 billion Tomans.
Jahansaz emphasized that about 70 percent of the guaranteed purchase of green tea leaves falls to the government's share, and almost 90 percent to the share of tea processing factories. He highlighted the government's support for domestic tea production, noting that in previous years, the state assisted tea producers by participating in part of the guaranteed purchases to make the production of this product economically viable.
The head of the Tea Organization acknowledged that managing tea imports and improving the quality of domestic green tea leaves and their processing have contributed to increasing the competitiveness of Iranian tea against foreign products. He continued that respected Iranian tea brands are present in the market, and some domestic production is exported to international markets.
According to Jahansaz, the country's tea is exported to approximately 37 countries worldwide, and the export volume this year may differ from last year's because there is a goal to direct a larger share of production to the domestic market. Regarding the country's need for dry tea imports, he added that the annual requirement is estimated at about 50,000 tons, and imports are carried out according to the country's needs and using the exchange rate.
The head of the Tea Organization also stated that the annual production capacity for dry tea in the country is about 30,000 tons. He concluded that final statistical data for the current year will be determined after the completion of the harvest and processing.