Vietnam’s tea export revenue nears $117 million as US and Russian demand rises
Vietnam exported about 64,500 tonnes of tea worth nearly $117 million in the first seven months of 2026. Higher prices limited the revenue decline as rising purchases by the United States, Russia and other markets partly offset sharp weakness in Pakistan and China.
July shipments recover with the main harvest
Vietnam’s tea exports rebounded sharply in July 2026 as improved raw-material availability and higher prices helped the industry recover from a weak June. Customs Department data cited by An Ninh Tiền Tệ show that the country exported about 13,500 tonnes during July, generating nearly $28 million.
Compared with June, export volume rose 71% and value increased 92%. Shipments were still about 1% below July 2025, but revenue was 15% higher. The divergence reflects a marked improvement in export prices rather than an expansion in the quantity sold.
June’s contraction coincided with the transition between the spring and summer tea crops, which restricted supplies from Vietnam’s principal growing areas. Raw-material availability improved when the main harvest began in July, supporting a recovery in export volumes.
Higher prices cushion the seven-month decline
During the first seven months of 2026, Vietnam exported approximately 64,500 tonnes of tea worth nearly $117 million. Volume fell about 10% from the same period of 2025, while revenue declined only 3% because exporters secured higher average prices.
The average export price for the seven-month period was about $1,811 per tonne, up 7% year on year. In July alone, it reached approximately $2,060 per tonne, rising 12% from June and 17% from July 2025. That was the highest monthly average since the beginning of 2025.
The figures suggest that price gains are protecting processors and exporters from some of the financial effects of lower shipments. They do not, however, remove the industry’s exposure to abrupt changes in demand from its largest traditional buyers.
Pakistan loses share as other markets expand
Pakistan remained Vietnam’s biggest tea export market in the first seven months, but purchases dropped by about 67% year on year, with revenue falling at a comparable rate. Its share of Vietnam’s total tea export volume consequently declined from more than 33% to around 12%.
Taiwan, China, moved into second place with about 7,800 tonnes, equivalent to 12% of total shipments. Volume increased slightly and value rose by around 12%. Mainland China ranked third, although shipments to that market declined about 19%.
Demand developed more positively elsewhere. Exports to the United States, Russia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Turkey, Germany and Ukraine all increased from the same period of 2025. Turkey recorded growth of more than 280%, although it remained a relatively small destination. Shipments to Iraq, Indonesia, India, the United Arab Emirates and Kazakhstan declined.
The mixed performance is changing the composition of Vietnam’s tea trade. Growth in a broader group of markets offers exporters a way to reduce reliance on Pakistan and China, but the smaller scale of several expanding destinations means they may not immediately replace the lost volumes.
Large production base supports diversification
Vietnam ranks fifth worldwide in tea exports and seventh in tea production, according to the industry data reported by An Ninh Tiền Tệ. The country has about 130,000 hectares under tea cultivation and produces approximately 1 million tonnes of fresh tea leaves annually, equivalent to nearly 200,000 tonnes of dried tea.
Vietnamese tea reaches more than 70 countries and territories. Its product range includes green tea, black tea and more deeply processed products, with further expansion potential identified in markets such as Malaysia. The production base gives suppliers room to serve a wider customer portfolio, while the July results show that seasonal raw-material constraints can still affect monthly trade sharply.
For growers, processors and traders, the central challenge is therefore both commercial and operational: preserving the higher prices achieved in 2026 while finding enough demand outside traditional destinations to stabilize volumes. Pakistan’s rapid loss of share demonstrates the risk of dependence on a single large buyer, even as stronger US, Russian and regional demand provides new outlets.
