Understanding Tea

South Africa’s Tea Trade: Exports, Imports, and Tariff Landscape

South Africa, renowned for its diverse economy and vibrant trade relations, actively participates in the global tea market as both an exporter and importer.

Tea Imports Exports

South Africa’s Tea Exports

In 2021, South Africa achieved tea exports worth $24.2 million, positioning itself as the 31st largest exporter of tea worldwide. Within South Africa’s export basket, tea held the 355th position among the most exported products in the country during the same year. The primary destinations for South Africa’s tea exports were Botswana, accounting for $6.57 million in exports, followed by Namibia at $3.91 million, Mozambique at $3.63 million, Eswatini at $3.02 million, and Lesotho at $2.6 million.

Emerging Export Markets

Between 2020 and 2021, South Africa witnessed noteworthy growth in its tea exports. The fastest-growing export markets for South African tea during this period were Botswana, experiencing an increase of $322,000, followed by Mozambique with a rise of $306,000, and Lesotho with notable growth of $263,000. These emerging markets signify expanding opportunities and increasing demand for South African tea in neighboring countries.

Where Does South Africa Export Its Tea (2021)

ContinentCountryTrade Value
AfricaAngola81,972
AfricaBurundi5
AfricaBurkina Faso360
AfricaBotswana6,573,930
AfricaCote d’Ivoire219
AfricaDemocratic Republic of the Congo193,609
AfricaRepublic of the Congo15,940
AfricaEgypt2,25
AfricaEthiopia163
AfricaGhana18,665
AfricaGuinea35
AfricaKenya2175
AfricaLesotho2,601,143
AfricaMorocco407
AfricaMadagascar3,382
AfricaMali42
AfricaMozambique3,634,923
AfricaMauritius10,491
AfricaMalawi127,265
AfricaNamibia3,907,168
AfricaNigeria5,807
AfricaRwanda55
AfricaSenegal1,794
AfricaSaint Helena3,140
AfricaSierra Leone136
AfricaSomalia649
AfricaEswatini3,022,690
AfricaSeychelles65,820
AfricaTanzania3,360
AfricaUganda1,071
AfricaZambia698,253
AfricaZimbabwe785,648
AsiaUnited Arab Emirates29,757
AsiaArmenia56
AsiaBahrain8,082
AsiaChina34,504
AsiaCyprus6,314
AsiaHong Kong18,597
AsiaIndonesia2,294
AsiaIndia1,668
AsiaIraq54
AsiaIsrael488
AsiaJapan135,816
AsiaSouth Korea9,813
AsiaKuwait1,437
AsiaLebanon1,357
AsiaSri Lanka2,301
AsiaMacau264
AsiaMongolia783
AsiaMalaysia154,991
AsiaNepal400
AsiaOman6,804
AsiaPhilippines301
AsiaQatar22,219
AsiaSaudi Arabia7,130
AsiaSingapore7,520
AsiaThailand972
AsiaTurkey251
AsiaUzbekistan121
AsiaVietnam110,733
AsiaChinese Taipei40,938
EuropeAustria1,752
EuropeBelgium4,718
EuropeBulgaria383
EuropeBosnia and Herzegovina120
EuropeSwitzerland13,902
EuropeCzechia332
EuropeGermany242,093
EuropeDenmark3,087
EuropeSpain3,933
EuropeEstonia584
EuropeFinland11,278
EuropeFrance8,211
EuropeUnited Kingdom652,703
EuropeCroatia29
EuropeHungary136
EuropeIreland10,529
EuropeIceland1,392
EuropeItaly11,333
EuropeLithuania190
EuropeLuxembourg977
EuropeMoldova285
EuropeMontenegro306
EuropeNetherlands66,189
EuropeNorway4,434
EuropePoland3,029
EuropePortugal27
EuropeRomania8,448
EuropeRussia42,519
EuropeSlovakia503
EuropeSlovenia837
EuropeSweden3,951
EuropeUkraine2,026
North AmericaBermuda2
North AmericaBarbados563
North AmericaCanada142,502
North AmericaCosta Rica402
North AmericaCayman Islands1,363
North AmericaHonduras198
North AmericaUnited States271,374
OceaniaAustralia102,680
OceaniaNew Zealand241,876
OceaniaPapua New Guinea2
OceaniaFrench Polynesia383
South AmericaBrazil1,119
South AmericaChile12,070

Tea Imports into South Africa

In 2021, South Africa imported tea valued at $39.8 million, ranking it as the 47th largest importer of tea globally. Within South Africa, tea held the 366th position among the most imported products during the same year. South Africa primarily sourced tea imports from countries such as Malawi, with imports worth $15 million, followed by Zimbabwe at $7.48 million, Tanzania at $5.79 million, Sri Lanka at $5.23 million, and China at $2.76 million.

Emerging Import Markets

South Africa’s tea imports experienced significant growth between 2020 and 2021. The fastest-growing import markets for tea in South Africa during this period were Tanzania, showcasing an impressive increase of $1.39 million, followed by Zimbabwe with a notable growth of $605,000, and Poland with a rise of $197,000. These figures highlight the evolving patterns of tea consumption and the emergence of new trade partners for South Africa.

Where Does South Africa Import Its Tea (2021)

ContinentCountryTrade Value
AfricaAngola67
AfricaBurundi1,987
AfricaBotswana4,841
AfricaCameroon57
AfricaDemocratic Republic of the Congo31
AfricaEgypt1,253
AfricaGhana266
AfricaKenya1,111,378
AfricaLesotho211
AfricaMorocco658
AfricaMali23
AfricaMozambique19
AfricaMauritius2,457
AfricaMalawi15,049,783
AfricaNigeria2,210
AfricaRwanda1,105
AfricaEswatini511
AfricaSeychelles6
AfricaTunisia1
AfricaTanzania5,792,686
AfricaUganda77
AfricaZambia4,463
AfricaZimbabwe7,475,341
AsiaUnited Arab Emirates455,363
AsiaChina2,763,809
AsiaHong Kong3,133
AsiaIndonesia2,526
AsiaIndia443,051
AsiaIran298
AsiaIsrael1,037
AsiaJapan16,837
AsiaSouth Korea613
AsiaLebanon5
AsiaSri Lanka5,225,814
AsiaMacau234
AsiaMalaysia84
AsiaNepal143
AsiaPakistan42,964
AsiaSaudi Arabia140
AsiaSingapore65,522
AsiaThailand806
AsiaTurkey14,010
AsiaVietnam21,900
AsiaChinese Taipei133,101
EuropeAustria2,445
EuropeBelgium13,724
EuropeBulgaria8,768
EuropeSwitzerland115,491
EuropeGermany195,891
EuropeSpain445
EuropeEstonia1
EuropeFinland75
EuropeFrance13,480
EuropeUnited Kingdom65,760
EuropeGreece205
EuropeCroatia393
EuropeIreland2,155
EuropeItaly18,013
EuropeLuxembourg19
EuropeNetherlands182,973
EuropePoland402,677
EuropePortugal1,983
EuropeRomania5
EuropeRussia6
EuropeSlovakia7
EuropeSweden31
EuropeUkraine48,525
North AmericaCanada213
North AmericaCayman Islands95
North AmericaJamaica59
North AmericaMexico118
North AmericaUnited States106,561
OceaniaAustralia3,012
OceaniaNew Zealand276
South AmericaArgentina144
South AmericaChile28

Tariffs on Tea

In 2019, South Africa had an average tariff rate of 2.25% on tea imports. The countries with the highest import tariffs for tea in South Africa were Angola, Burundi, Benin, Burkina Faso, and the Central African Republic, all imposing a Most Favored Nation duty rate treatment of 2.64%. These tariff rates shape South Africa’s tea trade landscape and influence the flow of tea imports into the country.

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

Vietnam tea has consistently been a popular and trustworthy choice for South Africa, thanks to its premium quality and competitive pricing. In 2021, South Africa imported tea from Vietnam with a total value of $21,900, marking a 6% increase compared to the previous year. Vietnam holds a significant position as an important supplier of tea to South Africa, catering to its tea requirements effectively.

Conclusion

South Africa’s active participation in the global tea trade is evident through its tea exports and imports. With a significant presence as an exporter to neighboring countries like Botswana, Namibia, and Mozambique, South Africa showcases the quality and appeal of its tea products. Simultaneously, tea imports from countries such as Malawi, Zimbabwe, and Tanzania underline South Africa’s engagement in regional and international tea trade dynamics. Understanding the tariff landscape, particularly with countries imposing higher import tariffs such as Angola and Burundi, is crucial for navigating South Africa’s tea trade. Monitoring these trade trends and tariff policies will be essential for sustained growth and success in the global tea industry for South Africa.

Data: BACI

Leave a Reply