HA NOI (Biz Hub)— Viet Nam exported 77,000 tonnes oftea during the past seven months, earning a turnover of US$120 million, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

While the volume of tea exports was equal to the volume from the same period last year, export value rose 4.1 per cent thanks to the surging price of tea on global markets, the ministry said, adding that the $1,526 per tonne benchmark price for tea was 4.4 per cent higher than last year's figure.

In July alone, 16,000 tonnes of tea was shipped abroad, bringing the country about $27 million.

Taiwan imported $14.3 million worth of Vietnamese tea, making it the largest customer. The value of tea exports to Taiwan rose 12 per cent year-on-year. Pakistan ranked second with Viet Nam exporting $17.5 million worth of tea to the country.

The US, United Arab Emirates, Germany, and Poland also showed strong demand for Vietnamese tea with their turnovers each growing 1.2–1.4 times over last year's levels.

However, industrial experts emphasised the importance of further improving the quality of products if the tea sector is to continue raising export value.

According to the Viet Nam Tea Association, about 90 per cent of Vietnamese tea was exported in the form of raw materials and only 10 per cent left the country as a finished product.

This means export prices for Vietnamese tea remain relatively low, at just 40-50 per cent of the value enjoyed by many other countries.

Director of the Plantation Protection Department Nguyen Xuan Hong said efforts are being made to enhance the quality of tea products with a focus on ensuring minimal use of pesticides to ensure exported products meet importers' standards. — VNS