Darjeeling tea attracts interest from China
The famous Darjeeling tea from India, usually popular with European and North American tea aficionados, is finding a new audience in China, as the country's rich snap up the premium beverage. Darjeeling Tea Association says that Chinese buyers have purchased 20 tons of tea so far, reflecting its growing popularity among young people in Beijing and Shanghai. The tea is also increasingly used for corporate gifts and on special occasions. New business from China, traditionally a green tea consumer, comes at a time when exports to established markets are dwindling. For example, India's total black tea exports to the UK, the biggest European market, declined by roughly 25% to 16 million kilograms in five years.