Chinese Tea Consumption Slows, Coffee Gains Momentum
A lengthy article in the New York Times (10/11/05) notes Chinese tea production is growing, while country wide consumption is losing steam, especially among young people. The article observes popularity of US specialty coffee operations such as Starbucks within the traditionally tea oriented nation of China is rapidly increasing. According to the article Chinese tea growers are causing quite a stir in other tea producing nations, including like India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Kenya, Malawi and Zimbabwe. The article notes China is now poised to become the world's largest tea exporter by tonnage, overtaking Sri Lanka this year and Kenya next year.
