Dubai: DMCC has projected the global tea market to grow from US$282 billion to almost US$300 billion by the end of 2025, buoyed by climate-smart production, traceable supply chains, and a surge in higher-margin categories such as premium, organic, functional, and ready-to-drink teas.
According to Emirates News Agency, the forecast was unveiled at the ninth Global Dubai Tea Forum (GDTF) where DMCC released its latest "Future of Trade: Tea" special edition report. The study charts the evolution of a sector that underpins an estimated US$18 billion in annual production and US$9.8 billion in global trade, supporting millions of smallholders worldwide.
The report sets out a roadmap to build a more resilient, inclusive, and innovative tea economy, highlighting how modern hubs such as Dubai are redefining the global trade landscape. Long regarded as a logistics and re-export gateway, the UAE now accounts for over half of the world's tea re-exports and is moving up the value chain with advanced blending, packaging, flavour profiling, storage, tax efficiency, and financial services offered through key platforms like the DMCC Tea Centre.
Ahmed Bin Sulayem, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DMCC, emphasized that global tea consumption is nearing US$300 billion annually, driven by premium, organic, and ready-to-drink formats, with the UAE at the center of this shift. He noted that since the launch of the DMCC Tea Centre 20 years ago, Dubai has evolved from a logistics gateway to a global hub for value creation. He highlighted the importance of value addition, including blending, branding, and verifiable provenance, as commercial necessities.
During his keynote speech, Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi, Assistant Under-Secretary for Entrepreneurship and the Economic Affairs Regulatory Sector at the UAE Ministry of Economy, remarked on Dubai's position as a major tea re-export hub, reflecting the UAE's success in building a trade ecosystem defined by certainty, innovation, and openness. He pointed out that tea continues to connect producers and consumers through modern, technology-enabled value chains, transforming it from a traditional commodity into a catalyst for sustainable growth.
The GDTF, as one of the most influential tea industry platforms, brought together government leaders, producers, traders, buyers, and multinationals from across the tea value chain. This year's edition, themed 'Tea at the Crossroads: Trade, Tariffs and Technology in an Age of Realignment,' attracted hundreds of stakeholders to Dubai to discuss the main challenges and opportunities shaping the tea industry in the coming years.
Discussions explored how climate volatility, inflation, and new consumer behaviors, particularly among Generation Z, are redefining demand patterns, supply routes, and product formats. Delegates examined the rise of direct-to-consumer models, the impact of tariffs and regulation on margins, and the need for equitable sustainability frameworks to protect both profits and livelihoods.
Building on DMCC's research, participants called for greater investment in climate-resilient farming, expanded access to inclusive finance for growers, scaled digital traceability systems, and a reimagining of product portfolios to capture the growing appetite for functional and wellness-focused teas. The forum underscored why traceability and resilience are now commercial imperatives for the industry.
The DMCC Tea Centre, anchored in the heart of Dubai's global trade ecosystem, provides integrated storage, tasting, blending, packaging, and re-export facilities that streamline the supply chain and accelerate product innovation. In 2024, it handled more than 24,400 metric tonnes of tea, connecting producers from traditional origins with fast-growing consumer markets across the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.