Both China’s tea export and sales volume saw a growth of over 8 percent in 2017, hitting a new high, according to Guangdong Tea Profession Association statistics, released on May 16.

The statistics indicate that China’s total tea export in 2017 reached 355,000 tons, up 8.1 percent since 2016. The export value hit $1.61 billion, a growth of 8.7 percent in the same timeframe.

The tea was exported to 128 countries and regions, among which 12 welcomed a tea import of more than 10,000 tons from China, accounting for 64.8 percent of the country’s total tea export last year.

Zhang Liming, deputy president of the association, explained that although China’s tea export saw an increase to Belt and Road countries, it is predicted to remain at about 300,000 tons this year.

Last year, the total planting area of tea on the Chinese mainland reached about 45.89 million mu (3.06 million hectares), achieving an output of standard semi-finished tea of about 2.6 million tons. The tea consumption on the Chinese mainland reached 1.9 million tons, creating a sales volume of 235.3 billion yuan.