Understanding Tea

Latvia’s Tea Industry: Export Trends, Imports, and Tariffs

Latvia, a Baltic nation with a rich cultural heritage, has a notable presence in the global tea trade. In 2021, Latvia exported $3.9M worth of tea, positioning itself as the 60th largest tea exporter worldwide. However, tea ranked as the 411th most exported product in Latvia that year.

Tea Imports Exports

Tea Exports from Latvia

Latvia primarily exports tea to Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Russia, and Germany. Among these, Lithuania leads with imports worth $1.93M from Latvia, followed by Estonia with $865k, Poland with $384k, Russia with $139k, and Germany with $108k.

Notably, between 2020 and 2021, Latvia experienced significant growth in tea exports to Lithuania, which increased by $302k. Germany and Israel also displayed promising growth, with $68.2k and $51.3k, respectively.

ContinentCountryTrade Value
AsiaUnited Arab Emirates49
AsiaCyprus29,641
AsiaGeorgia26,081
AsiaIsrael63,000
AsiaSouth Korea16
AsiaSri Lanka2
AsiaPhilippines7,617
AsiaSaudi Arabia12,631
AsiaUzbekistan3,978
EuropeBelgium791
EuropeBulgaria1,218
EuropeSwitzerland2,155
EuropeCzechia16,624
EuropeGermany107,831
EuropeDenmark1,079
EuropeSpain15,821
EuropeEstonia864,753
EuropeFinland13,909
EuropeFrance2,962
EuropeUnited Kingdom55,733
EuropeGreece85,015
EuropeCroatia758
EuropeHungary35,143
EuropeIreland1,080
EuropeIceland35
EuropeItaly1,321
EuropeLithuania1,934,231
EuropeLuxembourg23
EuropeNorth Macedonia5,475
EuropeNetherlands8,128
EuropeNorway9,140
EuropePoland384,205
EuropePortugal53
EuropeRomania11,380
EuropeRussia139,193
EuropeSlovakia114
EuropeSlovenia686
EuropeSweden3,090
EuropeUkraine44,917
North AmericaCanada8
North AmericaUnited States7,121
OceaniaPapua New Guinea225
Table: Where Does Latvia Export Its Tea (2021)

Tea Imports in Latvia

In 2021, Latvia imported $11.3M worth of tea, establishing itself as the 82nd largest global importer of tea. Tea ranked as the 341st most imported product in Latvia that year. Latvia’s primary sources of tea imports include Poland, Russia, Sri Lanka, Lithuania, and Germany. Notably, Poland accounted for the highest tea imports, amounting to $4.05M, followed by Russia with $3.33M, Sri Lanka with $1.19M, Lithuania with $675k, and Germany with $423k.

The fastest-growing import markets for tea in Latvia between 2020 and 2021 were Russia, experiencing an increase of $546k, Belarus with $136k, and Vietnam with $109k.

ContinentCountryTrade Value
AfricaMorocco724
AfricaNigeria187
AsiaUnited Arab Emirates385,963
AsiaAzerbaijan40,679
AsiaChina28,480
AsiaHong Kong442
AsiaIndia126,786
AsiaIsrael75
AsiaJapan8,584
AsiaKazakhstan171
AsiaSouth Korea622
AsiaSri Lanka1,193,444
AsiaNepal255
AsiaSingapore18,611
AsiaThailand2,390
AsiaTurkey4,939
AsiaVietnam142,981
AsiaChinese Taipei76,740
EuropeAustria8,364
EuropeBelgium75
EuropeBelarus311,078
EuropeSwitzerland791
EuropeCzechia31,270
EuropeGermany422,576
EuropeDenmark348
EuropeSpain3,095
EuropeEstonia92,744
EuropeFinland3,173
EuropeFrance185,069
EuropeUnited Kingdom7,991
EuropeHungary520
EuropeIreland732
EuropeIceland62
EuropeItaly7,651
EuropeLithuania675,443
EuropeNetherlands66,364
EuropePoland4,046,430
EuropeRussia3,330,196
EuropeSerbia2,154
EuropeSlovakia211
EuropeSlovenia818
EuropeSweden30,198
EuropeUkraine62,730
North AmericaCanada3,701
North AmericaUnited States11,025
OceaniaAustralia111
OceaniaNew Zealand31
South AmericaArgentina46
South AmericaColombia280
South AmericaPeru125
Table: Where Does Latvia Import Its Tea (2021)

Vietnam Tea: A Popular and Reliable Choice for Latvia’s Imports

Vietnam tea has consistently been a popular and trustworthy choice for Latvia, thanks to its premium quality and competitive pricing. In 2021, Latvia imported tea from Vietnam with a total value of $142,981. Vietnam holds a significant position as an important supplier of tea to Latvia, catering to its tea requirements effectively.

Tariffs on Tea Trade

In 2019, Latvia applied an average tariff rate of 0.61% on tea imports. However, certain countries imposed higher import tariffs on tea. The Republic of the Congo, Algeria, Western Sahara, Gabon, and Libya had the highest import tariffs for tea, all at a Most Favored Nation duty rate treatment of 0.8%.

Conclusion

Latvia’s participation in the tea trade showcases its contribution to the global market, with both tea exports and imports playing a role in the nation’s economy. While Latvia’s tea exports are modest, the country has experienced growth in key markets like Lithuania, Germany, and Israel. On the other hand, Latvia’s substantial tea imports contribute to the nation’s domestic consumption, with Poland, Russia, and Sri Lanka being the primary sources. Understanding tariff rates is crucial for tea traders, as Latvia applies a moderate average tariff rate, while some countries impose higher tariffs on tea imports. As Latvia continues its engagement in the global tea trade, it will be interesting to observe the growth and development of its tea industry in the coming years.

Data: BACI

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