2026 April 01
Beijing, China
In a stunning announcement today, chief scientists at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have declared that the country will be completely petroleum independent by the end of the year.
Researchers have successfully prototyped and tested the world's first matcha-powered combustion engine (known as the EGCG-E). Combined with China's current fleet of electric vehicles, EGCG-E vehicles will make the need for gasoline a thing of the past. Mass-production is announced to begin in a matter of weeks.
Speaking at the press conference, the science team stated: "In this period of energy uncertainty, what better time to introduce a clean, stable new energy source. Matcha-powered cars will literally be the greenest energy known to man."
The nation's matcha tea producers were no less exuberant. Global demand for matcha beverages was already at a high, but now their teas will be fueling both car and driver. Avid matcha drinkers were less enthused, fearing this surge in matcha demand would further raise the costs of enjoying their favorite beverage.
Stay tuned to Firsd Tea for all things matcha...
Often overlooked, decaf teas have enjoyed steady popularity as an alternative for those seeking to reduce their daily caffeine intake. Some estimates put decaf tea at 20% of US total tea consumption, and trends suggest demand for quality decaf tea will continue to grow in Europe and North America. Firsd Tea offers many decaf tea products across types of tea, leaf cut, quality levels, and certifications.
/decaffeination-and-decaf-teas/
This article originally appeared in the March 2026 issue of Tea and Coffee Trade Journal under the title: "Tea In The US: Affordable, Accessible, Healthy…"
The US tea market landscape in 2025 offered ups and downs, as trends, tariffs, and regulations shaped the terrain of supply and demand.
- Trade Patterns
- Matcha Madness
- Tariff Turbulence
- Tea As Real, and Healthy
- Looking Ahead
/issue/38843/march-2026-2/
/2025-us-tea-market-recap/
Our 2025 review of China's tea exports included these highlights:
Key Performance Indicators:
- Total: 419.3 million kg (+12.1% growth)
- Green Tea: 369.1 million kg (+14.0%, 88.0% of total)
- Black Tea: 26.2 million kg (+6.0% gains, 6.3% of total)
- Oolong Tea: 13.9 million kg (-9.8%)
- Top Destination: Morocco (91.6 million kg, +13.6%)
- Fastest Growth: Côte d’Ivoire (+308.9%), Chad (+147.5%)
You can download the full report here:
/2025-china-tea-export-review/
China Exports
China’s tea exports for the first ten months of 2025 totaled 343,058 metric tons, representing a 3.7% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Green tea exports rose 13.4%, now accounting for 87.9% of total exports.
US Imports
US tea imports from China through October 2025 totaled 9,497 metric tons, essentially flat (-0.3%) compared to 2024. China green tea imports increased 11.5%, representing 32.3% of total US green tea imports.
/october-tea-report-2025-china-exports-us-imports/
The right certifications and standards can be used to foster trust in the way teas and botanicals are grown, harvested, and processed. This may include assurances of how laborers are treated, the genetic makeup of the plants, or how the environment is protected. Other certifications indicate the precautions taken to make sure products are safe from contaminants or processing activities that may degrade or damage the final product. If there is ever a food safety issue, certification systems and processes may help define the plan to trace potentially harmful products back to the source (to prevent that ingredient from being further used) and downstream to the retail shelf (to allow for proper and timely product recalls).
/what-you-need-to-know-tea-quality-certifications/
Data from China Customs was recently published regarding China exports for October 2025.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overall Performance: China’s tea exports for the first ten months of 2025 totaled 343.61 million KG, representing a 3.8% increase compared to the same period in 2024 (330.88 million KG).
Key Highlights:
- Pure green tea (绿茶) exports grew by 13.5%, reaching 301.71 million KG
- Total unfermented teas represent 89.8% of exports, totaling 308.46 million KG
- Black tea (红茶) exports decreased 51.1%, falling to 21.72 million KG
- October 2025 showed -2.3% decline vs October 2024
- Morocco remains #1 destination with 78.71 million KG YTD (+20.4%)
- African markets dominate top 10, representing majority of exports
- Ghana continued sharp decline: -54.8% YTD
- Côte d’Ivoire dramatic change: +324.2% YTD
/october-tea-report-2025-china-exports/
Data from China Customs was recently published regarding China exports for September 2025. GATS data on US imports of tea was not available at time of publication due to the federal government shutdown.
/september-tea-report-2025-china-exports/
This is a follow-up to the 2025 China Tea Report: Production article that includes further data on province- and belt-level changes in production.
Not only did China contribute 53% of global tea production in 2024, its growth in production outpaced other major producing countries. With a compound annual growth rate of 4.6%, this far exceeded growth seen in India (0.4%), and Kenya (1.0%).
/2025-china-tea-report-production-by-belt-province/
