The tea that is drunk by the majority of the world population and taken for granted by most of them can be produced only in certain regions of the world. The climate and the soil have to be ideally suited for tea in order to get a flourishing crop. Tea is mainly produced in Asia with a sprinkling of estates in other countries. India, China, Sri Lanka, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sikkim are countries that produce the bulk if the world’s tea. Kenya in Africa also produces tea while there are a few other African nations that produce very small amounts. Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Georgia and Iran also produce negligible amounts of tea which are virtually unknown in Europe.

The six major producers of tea are China, Japan, India, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and Kenya. China is the birthplace of the beverage of tea and then it spread to Japan via Buddhist priests and traders. Both China and Japan produce some of the finest green teas in the world. Taiwan has some of the best oolong teas while India and Sri Lanka or Ceylon as it was known earlier are home to the finest black teas that the world enjoys.

China
China leads the way in tea production and has a wide range of teas that comes to us in different styles and categories that are recognizable by their leaf shape, size and the district it was produced in. The categories span ranges of black teas, green teas, oolong teas to scented teas. The black teas of China tend to have a full bodied, mild and sweet taste with smokiness to it and come mainly from the Yunnan province. The green teas are fresh and clean with a nutty flavor and many essences. The oolong teas are fruity and fragrant and the scented teas boast of delicate flowery tastes such as the famous Jasmine tea. China also produces the more rare white teas. Black teas of distinction are Pu’erh, Lapsang Souchong, Yunnan and Keemum. Best known green teas are Lung Ching (Dragon’s Well), Gunpowder, Temple of Heaven and Pin Head Tea. China produces roughly 25 % of the world’s tea requirements.

Japan
Japan has a efficiently organized tea industry which produces some of the quality full bodied, light teas that are rich with flavors which can range from delicate to rich grassy tastes. Buddhist priests who returned from China first introduced tea to Japan and since then it has gained in popularity among the entire country. As in China, tea is closely woven into the culture of the society and plays an important part in everyday life. The Japanese are predominantly green tea fans while they export most of the black teas that are produced in the country. The green teas of distinction are Sencha, Sencha Honyama, Gyokuro, Bancha and Genmaicha.

India
India leads the way in tea production and has some of the best known varieties of black tea which are widely respected for their excellent quality. Indian black teas have a robust full bodied flavor that is combined with a lively and bright character which gives an invigorating freshness to anyone drinking them. Assam and Darjeeling are the most famous of black teas out of India and in the world. Darjeeling is the Champagne of teas and often fetches extremely high prices as they are presented and auctioned off. Tea was first introduced to the sub continent by the English in the early 19th century. The tea produced in India is targeted to the European market and has been a firm favorite for more than one and a half centuries. The varieties of tea are too numerous to list as each region and area have their own distinct tea. India produces more than one third of the world’s tea requirements.

Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka or Ceylon as it was known earlier is one of the largest exporters of tea and produces mainly black tea which is exported to Iraq, Iran and Syria. The teas are also known as Ceylons sometimes and sport a brisk and refreshing flavor that has floral undertones and aromas. The climate and the landscape of this tiny island was found by the English to be ideal for growing tea and they started the first plantations in 1857. It was later in 1870 that tea took a form hold here after the coffee plantations were devastated due to a parasite. Sri Lanka was once the world’s largest exporter of tea and today it is still known for excellent quality teas. Best known out of the Sri Lankan teas are Ceylons, Broken Orange Pekoe, Pekoe, Broken Pekoe and Orange Pekoe which are all black teas. Innovative value addition to tea is successfully done here in a bid to popularize tea drinking among the younger crowd. Today, Sri Lanka produces 10% of the world’s tea requirements.

Taiwan
Taiwan was once known as Formosa and many people still associate that name with the exceptional oolong teas and pouchong teas that are produced here. The oolong teas have a flowery aroma and a fruity flavor while the pouchong teas give out a fresh, sweet taste combined with explosive floral fragrances. These teas are ideally suited as the base for scented teas. Taiwan has a history of producing tea that spans three hundred years and cultivations can be found at lower altitudes. Generally the oolong teas produced here are 75% fermented and now the Taiwanese are making lighter oolong teas known as Jade oolong and Amber oolong.

Kenya
Tea was introduced to Africa in the late 19th century and many countries today produce black tea of various qualities. Although traditional methods are used to produce tea, most teas are produced by the CTC, ‘crushing, tearing, curling’, a mechanical process by which tea is formed into tiny pearls to be used in tea bags. Kenya is the fourth largest exporter of tea and has an 8% share in the world market. It is known for CTC teas and its only traditionally processed tea from the Marynin garden.