In the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s average tea export price reached USD 1,777.7 per metric ton, up 4.5% compared to the same period last year.

In August and across the first eight months of 2026, Vietnam’s tea exports contracted due to adverse weather across key tea-growing regions, dampening product yields and quality.

In addition, tea consumption demand across Vietnam's traditional export markets, such as Pakistan and select North African destinations, showed signs of slowing down.

According to statistics from the Customs Department, Vietnam’s tea exports in August 2026 reached 12,780 tons, valued at USD 26.69 million, down 5.4% in volume and 4.1% in value compared to July 2026; compared to August 2025, volume fell 9.3% while value climbed 6.8%. Over the first eight months of the year, Vietnam’s tea exports reached 77,250 tons, generating USD 143.48 million, down 9.8% in volume and 1.5% in value compared to the same period in 2025.

In August 2026, Vietnam’s average tea export price stood at USD 2,088.1/ton, up 1.4% month-on-month and up 17.7% year-on-year. For the first eight months of 2026, the average export price reached USD 1,777.7/ton, a 4.5% gain over the corresponding period last year.

The market structure of Vietnam’s tea exports over the eight-month period underwent a shift from traditional outlets toward markets with higher quality criteria. Pakistan remains a traditional consumption destination for Vietnamese tea (principally black tea).

In August 2026, tea exports to Pakistan reached 3,970 tons, valued at USD 7.96 million, rising 49.8% in volume and 41.9% in value compared to the preceding month, but down 38.6% in volume and 36.7% in value compared to August of the prior year. Over the first eight months of 2026, tea shipments to Pakistan totaled 11,900 tons, worth USD 23.43 million, plunging 60.8% in volume and 59.8% in value year-on-year.

The sharp decline was driven by financial clearance hurdles and newly enforced Halal certification mandates in the importing country. Similarly, Vietnam’s tea exports to Taiwan (China) in the first eight months slipped 0.8% in volume, but gained 10.8% in value compared to the same period last year, reaching 9,230 tons valued at USD 18.88 million.

Meanwhile, tea exports to China fell in both volume and value. In contrast, during the first eight months of 2026, Vietnamese tea shipments to Russia, the United States, and the Middle East registered high growth across both metrics.

Citing figures from the International Trade Centre (ITC), United States tea imports in the first seven months of the year reached 65,470 tons, valued at USD 396.48 million, down 4.7% in volume but up 12.4% in value year-on-year. The average import price of tea into the United States reached USD 6,055/ton, up 18% compared to the same period in 2025.

Argentina led tea supplies to the United States during the first seven months of 2026, delivering over 25,000 tons valued at USD 34.35 million, edging up 0.7% in volume and 1.6% in value year-on-year. Argentina's market share accounted for 38.28% of total US tea import volume over this seven-month window.

In the first seven months of 2026, India stood as the second-largest tea supplier to the US, shipping 6,310 tons worth USD 31.32 million, contracting in both volume and value compared to the prior year. Meanwhile, Sri Lanka maintained its position as the fourth-largest supplier to the US, registering an increase in physical volume but a decrease in value year-on-year.

China primarily supplies traditional green and black tea products to the United States, recording 5,140 tons valued at over USD 32 million, down sharply by 25.3% in volume, but inching up 1.1% in value compared to the same period last year.

Vietnam supplies raw black and green teas to the US market, while progressively increasing the share of specialty teas and certified organic products. In the first seven months of 2026, US tea imports from Vietnam reached 3,080 tons, valued at USD 5.85 million, down 20.4% in volume and 6.1% in value year-on-year. Vietnam accounted for 4.71% of total US tea import volume during the first seven months of 2026.

Source: Bao Cong Thuong