International Tea Day celebrated on 21 May

International Tea Day is celebrated every year on 21 May. The day is celebrated to raise awareness regarding the role played by Tea in rural development, poverty reduction and food security in developing countries.

• Tea is an important cash crop. Tea is a beverage made from the Camellia sinesis plant.
• After water, Tea is the world’s most consumed drink.
• It is said that tea originated in northeast India, north Myanmar and southwest China, but its exact origin place is not yet known.
• The tea industry is a main source of income and export revenues for some of the poorest countries and developing countries. It is a labour-intensive sector. It provides employment in remote areas.
• Effects of Climate change- Changes in temperature and rainfall patterns, with increasing intensity of floods and droughts are already affecting yields of tea, its quality and prices. It is resulting in lowering incomes and threatening rural livelihoods.
• Tea industry in India comes under the control of the Union Govt. The Tea Board set up under section 4 of the Tea Act 1953 was constituted on 1st April 1954. Tea board works under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
• As per annual statsics, in 2020, Kenya was the world's largest exporter of tea followed by China and Sri Lanka.
• China was the largest producer of tea in world followed by India and Kenya.
• Around 80% of the total tea produced in India is consumed by the domestic population.