Facts about Fair Trade Tea:

• The major fair trade tea producing countries are India, China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Nepal, Tanzania, Rwanda, Laos and a few other emerging origins.

• 85% of all fair trade tea is certified organic

• India is the leading producer of Fair Trade tea representing more than 39% (527,857 pounds in 2008) of the Fair Trade Tea imported by the USA. Sales of Indian Fair Trade tea imports in the USA grew by 30% in 2008 over 2007 volumes.

• China is the 2nd largest producer of Fair Trade tea representing about 19% (265,392 pounds) of all the Fair Trade Tea imported by the USA. Chinese Fair Trade tea imports in the USA grew by about 23% in 2008 compared to 2007 volumes.

• The total volume of fair trade organic tea imported by the USA in 2008 grew by 41% over the 2007 volumes.

• The total amount of fair trade tea imported by the USA in 2008 was about 1,372,261 pounds and about 1,168,504 pounds of that fair trade tea was organic.

• From the start of the USA Fair Trade Certified Tea program from crop 2001-2002 there has been more than 4,000,000 pounds of fair trade tea imported into the USA year to date.

• Fair Trade and Organic Certified Tea is one of the fastest growing categories of the total tea industry in the USA. Still a niche market, its value and volumes are expanding each year.

• There are 41 certified organic tea farms worldwide and only 4 of them are in China.

• In 2002, there were 16 certified fair trade farms and 4 origins. In 2008 there were 41 certified fair trade farms and 9 origins.

• There are only 4 certified fair trade projects in China. 2 of the 4 certified organic and fair trade projects in China were established through Rishi Tea’s partnerships in ethnic minority autonomous areas of China’s Hubei and Yunnan Provinces.

• There are about 108 US based tea companies selling fair trade tea. A few of which are the actual importers of the tea that trade direct with the fair trade farms. Most of the 108 fair trade tea companies in the USA license the use of the fair trade logo as blenders or brands and buy the fair trade tea they sell from certified Fair Trade importers like Rishi Tea and a few others. There are 42 actual fair trade importers and about 66 blenders and brands that sell fair trade tea. Rishi is one of the first fair trade tea importers in the USA.

• The US tea market generated a total of $473,954 that was sent to a total of 41 fair trade certified tea farms worldwide in 2008.

• The US tea market generated $90,051.26 sent to the total number of Chinese Fair Trade tea farm groups in 2008.

• Rishi contributes more than 35% of the total fair trade social premium funds sent to Chinese tea farmers from the entire US tea market and around 12% of the total organic fair trade funds sent from the total of USA importers to the total number of fair trade producers world wide.

• Rishi Tea’s fair trade certified sales are on a steady increase with more projects from various origins to be introduced in 2010 and 2011.