Vietnam to Export 100,000 Tonnes of Tea in 2005

Vietnam to Export 100,000 Tonnes of Tea in 2005

Vietnam, the world's sixth largest tea exporter, is forecast to ship around 100,000 tonnes of tea products worth US$107 million in 2005, posting year-on- year increases of 3 per cent and 15 per cent, respectively, against 2004, according to Vietnam Tea Association (Vitas).

Nguyen Van Thu, Vitas Deputy Chairman said that the international cooperation and enhancing marketing activities were defined as one of the key measures to develop Vietnam's tea sector to fulfill the targets.

“The country will maintain key markets such as China, China's Taiwan Province, Russia, Iraq, and the US to fulfill the target,” he said.

Vitas will also enhance the quality of Vietnamese processed tea by applying advanced technologies in tea cultivation and processing, using new tea strains and diversifying tea products to earn higher export values.

Vitas and the Vietnam Tea Corporation will set up a tea trading center in Hanoi to bring buyers and sellers together and help enterprises identify sources of investment for needed technologies to improve the quality and quantity of tea products. 

Vietnam now cultivates around 118,700 hectares of tea trees, yielding around 487,600 tonnes. Last year, it shipped abroad 97,000 tonnes of tea products worth US$93 million, year-on-year rises of 62.5 per cent and 55.4 per cent, respectively, against 2003.

The country is among the 10 leading countries in the world in tea acreage and output. Vietnam processes some 500,000 tonnes of tea buds annually, with 80 per cent of this volume for exports. 

In related news, Vitas on January 28 announced the right to own the national tea trademark "Che Vietnam" and introduce it to domestic and foreign consumers. Vitas Deputy President Nguyen Van Thu said at the announcement ceremony that products carrying the trademark will have guaranteed high quality and conform to international food security standards. They will ensure the customers' satisfaction with the products.

Vitas will work closely with management agencies to regulate standards for products carrying the trademark as they are used in the domestic and foreign markets.
(Vietnam Agriculture)