(June 2020) Tea lovers around the world may be concerned about the impact COVID-19 is having on tea production. While consumers at home may not have noticed a disruption yet, it is likely to trickle down soon if you order tea that has been grown in Asia.
East Africa produces about 17% of the world's tea and this is where our company sources pesticide-free, Fair Trade tea. Our production has not been disturbed and Rwanda has taken all of the safety precautions to ensure the nation's people remain healthy.
Our primary tea garden partner in Rwanda has expanded and have a new certified green tea factory. With year-round harvesting, we have a steady stream of premium grade tea and we expect you will see much more African tea in stores across the world.
A friend of ours, from way back, recently published an article that helps explain why tea growing nations like India are struggling:
India Feels Impact Of Coronavirus On Tea Producing Regions
The Tea Association of America has been monitoring tea from China:
The Impact COVID-19 and Tariffs Have on Tea from China
And read about how some organizations are helping:
Emergency Response in Tea Supply Chain
While tea production is strong in Rwanda, and there have not been any disruptions in our supply chain, many of our partners face food insecurity due to the stay at home order. We have raised funds to ensure that our primary partners and their families have food and sanitation supplies for at least 60 days.