Tea Production Potential in Pakistan
Tea production potential in Pakistan
By Mohammed Arifeen
Tea is the world’s most favored beverage due to its general acceptability, comparative cheapness and advantageous effects. It is the second most drank beverage after water. The tea plant originated from South East China and slowly spread to Indo-Pak subcontinent, Sri Lanka and further into tropical and sub tropical countries
Pakistan was a bulk producer and exporter of tea until 1970 but after the loss of its eastern wing (than known as East Pakistan) it turned into an importing country. Its full requirement of tea is now met from tea exporting countries and mostly from Kenya. It is spending an approximate amount of Rs12 billion annually the valued and hard earned foreign exchange earning on the import of tea. The following nine years of tea import bear testimony:
Years Rupees Million
1999-00 10,895
2000-01 12,030
2001-02 9,611
2002-03 10,095
2003-04 11,078
2004-05 13,202
2005-06 13,336
2006-07 12,965
2007-08 12,653
In the aftermath of high growth in population the demand for tea is growing at an accelerating rate. The per capita consumption of tea in Pakistan is about one kilogram. Pakistan is perhaps the few countries where tea has attained the status of basic food among the poor masses. In the urban areas of Pakistan tea has become an essential requirement at the breakfast time. Among the top ten tea importing and consuming nation Pakistan position is third and fifth respectively. The list below shows the top tea importing nations:
Countries
By Mohammed Arifeen
Tea is the world’s most favored beverage due to its general acceptability, comparative cheapness and advantageous effects. It is the second most drank beverage after water. The tea plant originated from South East China and slowly spread to Indo-Pak subcontinent, Sri Lanka and further into tropical and sub tropical countries
Pakistan was a bulk producer and exporter of tea until 1970 but after the loss of its eastern wing (than known as East Pakistan) it turned into an importing country. Its full requirement of tea is now met from tea exporting countries and mostly from Kenya. It is spending an approximate amount of Rs12 billion annually the valued and hard earned foreign exchange earning on the import of tea. The following nine years of tea import bear testimony:
Years Rupees Million
1999-00 10,895
2000-01 12,030
2001-02 9,611
2002-03 10,095
2003-04 11,078
2004-05 13,202
2005-06 13,336
2006-07 12,965
2007-08 12,653
In the aftermath of high growth in population the demand for tea is growing at an accelerating rate. The per capita consumption of tea in Pakistan is about one kilogram. Pakistan is perhaps the few countries where tea has attained the status of basic food among the poor masses. In the urban areas of Pakistan tea has become an essential requirement at the breakfast time. Among the top ten tea importing and consuming nation Pakistan position is third and fifth respectively. The list below shows the top tea importing nations:
Countries