Consumption of tea low in Indonesia, expert says

Yuli Tri Suwarni, Bandung

Indonesia is one of the biggest producers of tea in the world, but ironically, the consumption of tea here is still low.

Agus Wisma, an employee of the marketing division of state-owned tea plantation company PT Perkebunan Nusantara VIII, revealed that Indonesians consumed only 250 grams of tea leaves as a beverage per capita per year. The figure is much lower compared to other developing countries such as Pakistan and Sri Lanka, whose consumption of tea leaves reaches two-and-a-half kilograms per capita per year respectively.

The lower consumption of tea has affected the state of tea production tea in the country.

"As tea consumption is low, we have to export most of our tea," he said, adding that only 10 to 20 percent of tea production was absorbed domestically.

Tea production in Indonesia in 2002 was 170,000 tons, and it slightly dropped to 165,000 tons last year.

Each year, Indonesia exports 100,000 tons of tea to other countries, including to the United Kingdom, Middle East countries and Pakistan.

PT Perkebunan Nusantara itself produces 60,000 tons of tea each year in its plantations in West Java.

Agus said that the tea industry is currently facing problems due to the decreasing price of tea on the international market to US$ 0.96 per kilogram.

"We shall wage a 'love tea campaign' nationwide in order to raise the consumption of tea here. We wouldn't need to export the tea if the rate was higher," said Agus.