About half of rooibos crop is exported, as the tea’s popularity grows abroad
ROOIBOS, SA’s naturally caffeine-free tea, is fast becoming a hit in overseas markets, according to the Rooibos Council.The council says SA currently exports rooibos tea to more than 30 countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Japan, the UK and US. About half (6,000 tonnes to 7,000 tonnes) of rooibos output is exported annually, while the balance is consumed locally.According to market research agency Insight Survey’s latest South African Tea Industry Landscape Report 2016, SA tea-lovers are shifting toward a preference for rooibos rather than black tea.Grown only in the Cederberg mountains of the Western Cape, the caffeine-free tea was once widely regarded as an acquired taste.Ernest du Toit, spokesperson for the Rooibos Council, said although black tea still has a higher overall consumption than rooibos, it is experiencing a steady decline, whereas rooibos tea is showing growth both locally and even more so globally.Germany by far still remains the biggest importer of rooibo...
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