Very much looking forward to visiting Vietnam for the first time (even more so since I saw the ‘Top Gear’ special a few weeks ago) and then on to China. I am visiting tea producers in the north and south of Vietnam, really looking to establish and strengthen relationships we have in this relatively new tea growing country. Vietnam is now the 2nd largest producer of coffee in the world so I am hoping to visit coffee growers too.
Its been quite a while since I visited China so I’m really excited to return. Looking forward to seeing my old friend Liu Zhiming again at ShanShan Tea, a great company who supply us with our Zesty Green teas.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tea prices surge as poor weather hits crops
We’re battling with drought again, and tea prices have risen dramatically during the first quarter of this year due to low crops in Sri Lanka and Kenya (the world’s 3rd and 4th largest producers).
The outlook has been poor too for the new season in Assam, north-east India, the world’s largest tea producing region. Access to credit for some of the producers have meant that less fertiliser has been applied which has, in turn, reduced the crop… bit of a cycle here. The producers in these key areas need some rain to get production back on track. The key as always is the arrival of the “long rains” in Kenya, which are later than the number 26 bus I used to catch to school, but fingers-crossed.
The outlook has been poor too for the new season in Assam, north-east India, the world’s largest tea producing region. Access to credit for some of the producers have meant that less fertiliser has been applied which has, in turn, reduced the crop… bit of a cycle here. The producers in these key areas need some rain to get production back on track. The key as always is the arrival of the “long rains” in Kenya, which are later than the number 26 bus I used to catch to school, but fingers-crossed.
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