HANOI, May 20 (Xinhuanet) -- Vietnam exported 14,000 tons of tea,
worth 13.8 million U.S. dollars in the first four months of this
year, according to a report of the local daily Vietnam News on
Monday.
   These figures represent year-on-year increases of 41.1 percent
and 25.8 percent respectively in terms of volume and value.
   The country has 100,000 hectares of tea plantations with 174
tea processors.
   Vietnam ranks fifth in the world in terms of tea plantations
and eighth in terms of tea exports.
   Last year, Vietnam exported 68,000 tons of tea, or more than 80
percent of its production output, to 50 countries and regions
throughout the world.
   Vietnam is striving to further promote tea export. However, it
is confronted with increasing competition in the world markets.
   Even in the domestic market, which consumes between 15,000 and
17,000 tons of tea a year, it will be difficult to compete after
the ASEAN Free Trade Area begins in 2006.
   At that time, Vietnam will have to reduce tariffs to zero for
all imports from ASEAN member countries. Meanwhile, Vietnam's tea
prices are already higher than other regional countries currently.
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