{"id":564,"date":"2026-03-20T14:57:29","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T05:57:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vietnam-agri.com\/vietnam-agri\/vietnam-tea-production\/"},"modified":"2026-06-10T00:31:20","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T15:31:20","slug":"vietnam-tea-production","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vietnam-agri.com\/en\/vietnam-agri\/vietnam-tea-production\/","title":{"rendered":"Vietnam's tea production: an explanation of varieties, growing regions, and export trends"},"content":{"rendered":"

'I want to handle Vietnamese tea for business, but I don't really know what varieties there are or which growing regions are trustworthy.' Many people feel this way.<\/p>\n

It is still not well known in Japan, but Vietnam is one of the world's leading tea-producing countries. Its production and export volumes are expanding year by year, and exports to the Middle East and the West are increasing, not just within Asia.<\/p>\n

This article systematically explains Vietnamese tea varieties, main growing regions, export trends and tea culture, with information useful for people in agriculture and food importers.<\/p>\n

Why Is Vietnam a 'Tea Powerhouse'?<\/h2>\n

Vietnam's tea-growing history is said to span more than 3,000 years. The cool climate and rich soil of the northern and central highlands are extremely well suited to growing tea trees.<\/p>\n

Today, Vietnam is the world's fifth-largest tea exporter. Its domestic tea-garden area amounts to about 130,000 hectares, and annual production reaches a scale of roughly 1 million tonnes.<\/p>\n

Production areas stretch from the northern mountains through the central highlands to the south, and because the climate, elevation and soil differ in each region, a feature is the variety of tea types and flavors that result.<\/p>\n

Main Varieties and Their Characteristics<\/h2>\n

The tea produced in Vietnam can be broadly divided into the following categories.<\/p>\n

Green tea (tra xanh)<\/h3>\n

This is the most-produced type. Vietnamese green tea has less astringency than Japanese green tea and a clean finish. Beyond domestic consumption, large volumes are exported to Pakistan, Iran, Taiwan and elsewhere.<\/p>\n

Lotus tea (tra sen)<\/h3>\n

A processed tea in which green tea leaves take on the fragrance of lotus flowers; it is one of Hanoi's representative traditional teas. The hand-crafted process of packing tea leaves into picked lotus flowers and letting them absorb the scent overnight is distinctive.<\/p>\n

High-quality versions can fetch tens of thousands of yen per 100 g, and they are also popular as gifts.<\/p>\n

Oolong tea (tra o long)<\/h3>\n

It is produced mainly in Lam Dong province (around Da Lat), where Taiwanese and Chinese companies have invested locally and worked to improve quality. In recent years, exports to Japan have also grown.<\/p>\n

Other Varieties<\/h3>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Type<\/th>\nGrowing region<\/th>\nCharacteristics<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Black tea (tra den)<\/td>\nThai Nguyen, Phu Tho<\/td>\nFermented tea. Largely exported to the Middle East and Russia<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
White tea (tra trang)<\/td>\nHa Giang province<\/td>\nUses only young buds. Highly rare<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Jasmine tea<\/td>\nVarious northern areas<\/td>\nA processed tea with jasmine fragrance imparted to green tea<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mata tea (ancient-tree tea)<\/td>\nHa Giang, Lai Chau provinces<\/td>\nHarvested from old trees over 100 years old. A rare product<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

Main Growing Region: Thai Nguyen, the 'Capital of Tea'<\/h2>\n

Vietnam's largest tea growing region is Thai Nguyen province.<\/strong> Tea gardens are concentrated in hilly terrain about 80 km north of Hanoi, at an elevation of 200-400 m.<\/p>\n

The province's tea-garden area is about 22,000 hectares, and about 20% of the country's tea farmers are concentrated in this region. 'Tan Cuong tea' is highly rated at home and abroad as a brand name.<\/p>\n

Conditions Supporting the Quality of Thai Nguyen Tea<\/h3>\n