International Tea Day is an opportunity to celebrate the cultural heritage, health benefits and economic importance of tea, while working to make its production sustainable “from field to cup” ensuring its benefits for people, cultures and the environment continue for generations.

When is International Tea Day?

International Tea Day is marked annually on May 21st, in accordance with the United Nations' resolution.

Tea production and processing are a main source of livelihoods for millions of families. The celebration promotes the sustainable production, consumption, and trade of tea, and offers an opportunity for actors at global, regional and national levels to ensure that the tea sector continues to play a role in reducing extreme poverty, fighting hunger and safeguarding natural resources.

History of International Tea Day

The International Tea Day campaign was launched in 2005 by the trade unions, small tea growers and civil society organizations in Asia and Africa to address the issues of living wages for workers and fair prices for small tea producers.

Why Do We Mark International Tea Day?

The day dedicated to the tea trade aims to increase public awareness of how it affects the lives of farmers and workers. While tea enthusiasts worldwide also celebrate this occasion. The United Nations marks International Tea Day every year on May 21st to educate the public on global concerns, promoting sustainable tea manufacturing, business, and consumption. The goal of this day is to recognise the vulnerable situations faced by tea producers worldwide, focusing on climate change, technology, trends in production, and consumption in the tea industry, and addressing current living conditions and worker-related policies.

Key messages

• Tea production and processing represent a source of livelihoods for millions of families, including millions in the least developed countries.
• The tea sector is a multi-billion dollar industry that can support economies and contribute to sustainable food systems.
• Tea export earnings help to finance food import bills, supporting the economies of major tea-producing countries.
• The tea sector contributes to socio-economic development, representing a major source of employment and income for millions of poor families worldwide.
• Tea thrives in very specific agro-ecological conditions and environments, which are often impacted by climate change.
• Smallholder tea producers need our support to strengthen their business model and environment and overcome the challenges they face.
• In order to ensure benefits for both people and the environment, the tea value chain must be efficient and sustainable at all stages, from field to cup.