Dubai remains global tea trade hub despite lagging innovation
The Dubai Multi Commodities Centre announced that imports and exports of tea through Dubai doubled to 129,000 tons in 2013, making it one of the industry's major trade hubs. The emirate serves as a temporary stop for African and Asian teas, where they are blended, packaged and then exported elsewhere. While some doubt DMCC statistics indicating that Dubai is responsible for 60% of the worlds tea re-exports, it is clear that its location, tax-free living and transport links make it an attractive destination. However, industry experts claim Dubai and the rest of the Middle East are lagging in innovation, which may impact future trade. For example, flavored teas, one of the hottest trends in the market, are mostly absent in the Middle East, despite huge popularity in Russia, Europe and the US.