Where Does U.S. Tea Come From?

Although the United States is usually considered a coffee drinking nation, tea is also a growing market, with 114,660 tons imported in the U.S. in 2021 alone, according to the International Trade Centre (ITC). But where does most tea found in the U.S. come from? Using data drawn from the ITC’s TradeMap, the following infographic shows the countries from which the U.S. imports most of its tea.

At $94 million, Japan had the highest value of imports of all countries in 2021. This was followed by India with $71.7 million and Argentina with $61.4 million. China and Taipei also feature on the top eight, with the U.S. spending $60 million and $26 million on their various teas, respectively.

When looking at how much tea the U.S. bought from different countries in terms of its weight, the numbers show a slightly different picture. Then, Argentina ranks first with 44,731 tons of its tea having been imported to the U.S. in 2021. This is likely due to mate tea. Next comes China with 12,184 tons and India with 11,947 tons.

Looking at the wider picture, U.S. imports of tea represent just 7.4 percent of world imports for the product, according to the ITC. It is only the second leading importing country for tea in the world, following Pakistan.

The World Tea Conference and Expo 2023 kicks off today in Las Vegas, running from Mar 27-29.