Download
International Tea Day: Bringing people together over a cup of tea
CGTN

Translating...

Content is automatically generated by Microsoft Azure Translator Text API. CGTN is not responsible for any of the translations.

International Tea Day falls on May 21 and this year it's coinciding with the solar term Lesser Fullness (Xiaoman) on the traditional Chinese calendar. The day was established by the UN General Assembly in 2019 to recognize the long history and deep cultural and economic significance of tea around the world. 

Tea is the most widely consumed drink next only to water, and drinking tea is good for health. It is now produced in more than 60 countries and regions worldwide and enjoyed by over two billion people. Over the past few decades, the global tea industry has developed rapidly with soaring number of consumers, as tea drinking has become trending among the young generation.

A woman picks tea from her tea garden in the Black Sea region of Türkiye, June 7, 2021. /CFP
A woman picks tea from her tea garden in the Black Sea region of Türkiye, June 7, 2021. /CFP

A woman picks tea from her tea garden in the Black Sea region of Türkiye, June 7, 2021. /CFP

So far, the annual output value of the global tea industry has exceeded 18 billion U.S. dollars, strongly promoting social and economic development and representing a major source of employment and income for millions of poor families worldwide. 

China is the largest tea producer and the largest tea market in the world. In 2022, China produced 3.18 million tons of tea, consumed 2.4 million tons and exported 380,000 tons. And nearly 30 million people in the country are engaged in tea production and processing.   

(All images via CFP; with input from Xinhua)

(If you want to contribute and have specific expertise, please contact us at nature@cgtn.com.)

MORE FROM CGTN

{"type":2,"value":"CGTN","commentator":[],"valueShow":true,"commentatorShow":false}

Nature

04:47, 06-Mar-2025

Powerful U.S. storms bring blizzards, tornado threats
{"type":2,"value":"CGTN","commentator":[],"valueShow":true,"commentatorShow":false}

Climate

03:27, 06-Mar-2025

China's green development contributes to global climate action
{"type":2,"value":"CGTN","commentator":[],"valueShow":true,"commentatorShow":false}

Climate

02:01, 06-Mar-2025

China continues to prioritize eco-protection, pursue green development
{"type":2,"value":"CGTN","commentator":[],"valueShow":true,"commentatorShow":false}

Nature

02:11, 05-Mar-2025

TOP NEWS

How China's major provincial economies take the lead in driving growth
{"type":2,"value":"CGTN","commentator":[],"valueShow":true,"commentatorShow":false}

Politics

08:13, 05-Mar-2025

How does China bring confidence to the world in 2025
{"type":2,"value":"CGTN","commentator":[],"valueShow":true,"commentatorShow":false}

China

08:13, 05-Mar-2025

China targets economic growth of around 5% in 2025
{"type":2,"value":"CGTN","commentator":[],"valueShow":true,"commentatorShow":false}

China

02:38, 05-Mar-2025

Search Trends