Tea harvest season extended in Black Sea

RİZE

The tea harvest season in Türkiye's eastern Black Sea region has extended into December, an unprecedented occurrence attributed to rising temperatures caused by climate change.

Fresh tea, typically collected three times a year, is now being harvested for a fourth time in the provinces of Rize, Trabzon, Artvin and Giresun. Over 1 million producer families cultivate tea on around 830,000 decares in the region.

In Rize, known as Türkiye's “tea capital,” growers are harvesting ripe fresh tea under unique circumstances, with snow on the ground. Producers are selling their yields to private factories, as state-run General Directorate of Tea Enterprises (ÇAYKUR) has closed its purchasing season.

“This is the longest harvest season we’ve ever experienced, something neither I nor my elders have seen before,” said Bünyamin Arslan, head of the Rize Chamber of Agriculture. “While the global climate crisis has caused floods, landslides, and other disasters, it has also unexpectedly extended our tea harvest.”

Arslan highlighted the uniqueness of the situation, stating, “The only high-quality, snow-covered tea harvest in the world is happening here in Rize.”

With its nascent entrepreneurial model, Türkiye’s northern coast is attracting international tourists through several workshops that delve into the renowned tea production journey.

These workshops offer participants a comprehensive glimpse into the intricate process, from the verdant tea fields of the Black Sea Region, particularly Rize, to the meticulous packaging stages.

Tea exports from Rize saw a remarkable increase of 29 percent in 2023, reaching a total of $10.2 million, according to the official numbers.

With each passing year, the production and export of tea from Rize continue to grow, with the highest demand coming from Belgium, Turkish Cyprus and the United States.

From January to December 2023, Rize exported 2,021 tons of tea to Belgium, generating a revenue of $8 million.