Tea · importers
India reports $1.2B in the chapter that holds tea, coffee, mate and spices, fifteenth in the world, though it is one of the biggest tea producers and drinkers on earth.
| Market | HS 09 imports |
|---|---|
| United States | $11.7B |
| Germany | $6.5B |
| France | $4.0B |
| Italy | $3.4B |
| Canada | $2.4B |
Figures are for the whole of HS chapter 09 (coffee, tea, mate and spices); tea is only part of it. Source: UN Comtrade, as reported by national authorities; latest available year per market.
With its own vast tea industry, India’s imports of tea are likely to be narrow: teas for blending, particular grades from other countries, and lots brought in for processing and re-export. The chapter also holds coffee, mate and spices, and India is a big player in spices, so the $1.2B is not a tea number. India’s 1.8% share of reported world imports is modest against its size.
The chapter is 0.2% of its $697.7B imports and ranks 40th among import chapters.
Blenders and packers may import teas that add a character or fill a shortfall, and exporters of packed tea may want a wider palette of origins for their blends. Ask the importer what it needs that domestic suppliers cannot provide, and whether the tea is destined for the home market or for re-export.
Buyers in this position typically take a critical view of grade and price. A buyer in this position will scrutinise grade and price closely, so bring reference samples and a full specification, and be ready to explain how your tea differs from what the domestic industry offers.
Duties, licensing and quality rules for imported food are set by the authorities and can change. Treat this page as background and confirm the present position with customs and your buyer. China, the Russian Federation, the United Arab Emirates and the USA lead the overall source list, which covers all goods.
Customs shipment records for the tea heading name receivers and weights, separately from coffee and spices.
Read the tea lines of shipment data for receivers and weights. Make a shortlist, agree Incoterm, currency, payment terms and port, and reach the firms through this site’s free marketplace.
To blend, cover shortfalls, add grades not grown locally and process for re-export.
No. It covers coffee, tea, mate and spices, and spices are a large Indian trade.
No. Confirm duties and licences with the authorities and your buyer.
Look up the tea heading in shipment data and rank receivers by cargo weight.
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