Lack of added value blamed for declining output in Indonesia
Speaking ahead of a major trade event, an expert warned that Indonesia's tea industry is on the brink of collapse due to unfair trade rules, which have led plantation owners to destroy more than 2,500 hectares annually in favor of more profitable crops. The lack of added value in the local tea sector has caused output to drop rapidly, from approximately 152 tons in 2009 to 137 tons in 2012. Exports followed the same trajectory, decreasing from 92 to 70 tons over the same period. This is also reflected in global tea production rankings: Indonesia now ranks seventh and has recently been overtaken by Turkey and Vietnam.