The first International Tea Day was celebrated on May 21, 2020 . Recognizing the long history and deep cultural and economic significance of tea around the world, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed 21 May as International Tea Day, calling on FAO to lead the observance.
Facts
- Tea is currently grown in more than 35 countries, and supports over 13 million people, including smallholder farmers and their households, who depend on the tea sector for their livelihoods.
- Tea is one of the world’s oldest beverages, and is the most consumed drink in the world.
- Tea is available in many varieties, which differ according to the applied oxidation and fermentation technique.
- Tea cultivation provides employment and income to millions of smallholder growers, who are supplementing or even replacing production of larger tea estates in many countries.
- While three quarters of tea produced is consumed domestically, tea is a widely traded and exported commodity.
- China, Korea and Japan have 4 tea cultivation sites designated as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems by FAO.
Source: FAO
