Previous Year Question
Which of the following countries is the largest exporter of tea in the world?
India
China
Kenya
Sri Lanka
Correct Answer: C
Detailed Solution
The correct answer is Kenya.
In the context of the 2016 question, Kenya was the world's largest tea exporter. Kenya's tea industry is particularly known for the export of black tea, especially CTC tea. A very large proportion of its total tea production is exported to international markets.
An important reason behind Kenya's position is that its domestic tea consumption is relatively small compared with its production. Consequently, a very large share of its production enters the export market. In contrast, India and China are not only major tea producers but also very large domestic consumers, so a substantial share of their production is consumed within their own markets.
It is important to distinguish between production and exports. China is the world's largest tea producer, but this does not automatically make it the largest tea exporter.
Current Status (2026): According to the latest available Tea Board India Annual Report 2024-25, Kenya remained the world's largest tea exporter in 2024. Kenya exported about 595 million kg, accounting for about 30% of world tea exports. It was followed by China with around 374 million kg (19%), India with 256 million kg (13%), and Sri Lanka with 246 million kg (13%).