The tea industry: Opportunities brewing

Consumers are facing a shortage of tea in Mauritius. While producers have reassured that things will get back to normal by January, the ministry of agro-industry is considering a temporary import of tea products. But what has happened to our tea?

The Mauritian tea is becoming a rare commodity. Since a few months now, consumers have been facing empty shelves in supermarkets when looking for their favourite local tea brands. The trend went largely unnoticed initially until recently when the shortage became clearer. The ministry of agro-industry is now considering whether to have recourse to temporary import of tea products in order to satisfy demand. 

But why has our tea disappeared from the market? According to official sources, the main reason is the climatic condition prevailing during the crop season. Mauritius has experienced a longer winter than usual, especially on the high lands where tea is cultivated, and this has had a negative impact on leaves production. The tea sector is also characterized by labour shortage, with ageing workers still active in the fields and no young workers joining the sector. It must be noted that the agricultural sector is one of the rare sectors in Mauritius not yet dependent on foreign labour. 

According to producers, the demand for tea has been rising steadily, one of the reasons being a boost in tourist arrivals. The country also has thousands of foreign workers among whom many are great tea consumers. The Mauritian tea is also well appreciated by members of the Mauritian Diaspora and our tea is available in most major capitals of the world where our Diaspora thrives. 

Some planters however have a different opinion. They argue that tea plantations have been affected by a ‘bacteria’ that is responsible for the low harvest of tea shoots. But the authorities claim that plant disease is a normal occurrence and is under control, and is in no way responsible for the declining production. 

Other sources indicate that the growing interest in our tea by Chinese consumers and traders account for the reduction in supply. It is said that studies have shown that the Mauritian tea contains high nutritional and medicinal values, and Chinese traders are more and more interested in importing our tea. However, the current volume produced in Mauritius is insufficient for an enhanced export market. If indeed there is high demand for our tea, then this spells another era for our tea industry which exports barely 30 tonnes annually. We export mainly to Reunion Island, Seychells, France and China. A ‘tea Unit’ will be set up at the FAREI (formerly AREU) to support the industry.

Green tea

While production of tea has been on decline during the past decade, the consumption of tea has been increasing. Mauritians are becoming great consumers of imported tea products such as green tea from China, herbal tea or black tea from Sri Lanka. These teas are imported under the category of ‘medicinal teas’. People believe that consumption of green tea combats stress and helps reduce weight, hence its popularity among consumers. It must be noted that import of tea is prohibited, except in the case of medicinal teas. In 2015, Mauritius imported about 17 tonnes of green tea products. On the other hand, import of black tea from COMESA countries for blending purposes is allowed to the tune of 2.5% of the quantity of tea sold for local consumption. Some 20 tonnes of black tea were imported in contractual tea year 2014/2015. Applications for import of teas have to be accompanied with an appropriate Phytosanitary Certificate from a competent authority from the country of origin, certifying that the product is safe for human consumption.

The ‘Tea Route’

Tea forms part of our history as well as our culture. Tea estates have successfully blended the tea industry with that of tourism, by conceiving the ‘Route du Thé’. This is a guided visit on the tea trail where visitors delve into the rich history of the tea industry in Mauritius, the factories, the plantations as well as a tea museum. 

Good to know

The ‘National Agricultural Products Regulatory Office’ (NAPRO), in operation since 2013, is the result of a merger of Tea Board and the Tobacco Board. According to NAPRO, the tea produced in Mauritius is pesticide free, as there is no pest or disease of economic importance that attack the plant. The local tea industry produces sufficient tea to meet domestic requirements in line with the policy to be self-sufficient. Tea production has enabled the economic development of certain regions like Nouvelle France, Pont Colville, La Flora, Grand Bois and Bois Cheri. Unlike other plants of economic importance, the tea plant thrives well in these regions of high rainfall with acidic soil. At present, some 1,340 planters cultivate an area of 574 hectares. The local production of black tea annually ranges from 1,500 to 1,700 tonnes. Three tea factories – Bois Cheri Tea Estate, Corson Tea Estate Co. Ltd and La Chartreuse Tea Manufacturing Co. Ltd are in operation. The average local consumption is 1,450 tonnes annually. The annual turnover of the Tea Industry in Mauritius is around Rs 265 million. The industry contributes to the livelihood of more than 1,500 families.