Tea leaves — Area harvested in China
China: Tea leaves — Area harvested was 3.65 million ha in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Tea leaves — Area harvested in China, 1961–2024
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Measured in ha.
Analysis
China recorded 3.65 million ha for tea leaves — area harvested in 2024. That is the highest value across all 64 years on record.
The figure is up 5.9% on the previous year and up 82.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, tea leaves — area harvested in China peaked at 3.65 million ha in 2024 and was at its lowest, 351,043 ha, in 1962.
China ranks 1st of 45 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Tea leaves — Area harvested in China, year by year
| Year | ha | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 354,979 ha | — |
| 1962 | 351,043 ha | -1.1% |
| 1963 | 356,308 ha | +1.5% |
| 1964 | 365,236 ha | +2.5% |
| 1965 | 369,607 ha | +1.2% |
| 1966 | 374,516 ha | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 414,495 ha | +10.7% |
| 1968 | 444,278 ha | +7.2% |
| 1969 | 473,704 ha | +6.6% |
| 1970 | 519,253 ha | +9.6% |
| 1971 | 582,957 ha | +12.3% |
| 1972 | 632,529 ha | +8.5% |
| 1973 | 732,068 ha | +15.7% |
| 1974 | 831,825 ha | +13.6% |
| 1975 | 931,449 ha | +12.0% |
| 1976 | 992,800 ha | +6.6% |
| 1977 | 1.04 million ha | +4.9% |
| 1978 | 1.08 million ha | +3.2% |
| 1979 | 1.08 million ha | +0.2% |
| 1980 | 1.07 million ha | -0.9% |
| 1981 | 1.09 million ha | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 1.12 million ha | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 1.13 million ha | +0.7% |
| 1984 | 1.10 million ha | -2.4% |
| 1985 | 834,313 ha | -24.4% |
| 1986 | 819,180 ha | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 832,663 ha | +1.6% |
| 1988 | 843,426 ha | +1.3% |
| 1989 | 847,253 ha | +0.5% |
| 1990 | 842,695 ha | -0.5% |
| 1991 | 851,370 ha | +1.0% |
| 1992 | 861,106 ha | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 900,740 ha | +4.6% |
| 1994 | 903,701 ha | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 888,132 ha | -1.7% |
| 1996 | 891,435 ha | +0.4% |
| 1997 | 888,572 ha | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 878,989 ha | -1.1% |
| 1999 | 928,542 ha | +5.6% |
| 2000 | 898,012 ha | -3.3% |
| 2001 | 905,662 ha | +0.9% |
| 2002 | 913,100 ha | +0.8% |
| 2003 | 943,400 ha | +3.3% |
| 2004 | 1.00 million ha | +6.0% |
| 2005 | 1.06 million ha | +5.8% |
| 2006 | 1.12 million ha | +5.5% |
| 2007 | 1.22 million ha | +8.9% |
| 2008 | 1.30 million ha | +6.7% |
| 2009 | 1.34 million ha | +3.4% |
| 2010 | 1.44 million ha | +7.3% |
| 2011 | 1.66 million ha | +15.1% |
| 2012 | 1.75 million ha | +5.4% |
| 2013 | 1.87 million ha | +6.9% |
| 2014 | 2.00 million ha | +6.8% |
| 2015 | 2.13 million ha | +6.6% |
| 2016 | 2.39 million ha | +12.4% |
| 2017 | 2.86 million ha | +19.6% |
| 2018 | 3.00 million ha | +4.8% |
| 2019 | 3.20 million ha | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 3.23 million ha | +1.0% |
| 2021 | 2.71 million ha | -16.0% |
| 2022 | 3.40 million ha | +25.5% |
| 2023 | 3.44 million ha | +1.1% |
| 2024 | 3.65 million ha | +5.9% |
China compared with similar countries
- China's 3.65 million ha is above the median for upper middle income countries, which is 1,144 ha, 3186.6× the median. (17 countries reporting)
- China's 3.65 million ha is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 35,100 ha, 103.9× the median. (7 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 389,352 ha | 351,043 ha | 473,704 ha | 9 |
| 1970s | 841,799 ha | 519,253 ha | 1.08 million ha | 10 |
| 1980s | 969,048 ha | 819,180 ha | 1.13 million ha | 10 |
| 1990s | 883,528 ha | 842,695 ha | 928,542 ha | 10 |
| 2000s | 1.07 million ha | 898,012 ha | 1.34 million ha | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.23 million ha | 1.44 million ha | 3.20 million ha | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.29 million ha | 2.71 million ha | 3.65 million ha | 5 |
Countries ranked near China
More agriculture & rural data for China
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 1.98 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.0666 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 923.03 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate -1.48 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.3366 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 6.7% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 6.7% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 0.3% (2024)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 2.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is tea leaves — area harvested in China?
- Tea leaves — area harvested in China was 3.65 million ha in 2024, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
- What is the highest tea leaves — area harvested recorded in China?
- The highest recorded value was 3.65 million ha in 2024.
- What is the lowest tea leaves — area harvested recorded in China?
- The lowest recorded value was 351,043 ha in 1962.
- How does China rank for tea leaves — area harvested?
- China ranks 1st out of 45 countries with data for 2024.
- Is tea leaves — area harvested rising or falling in China?
- Over the last ten years it is up 82.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this China data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, published as part of Tea leaves — Area harvested. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Crop and livestock statistics are recorded for 278 products, covering the following categories: 1) CROPS PRIMARY: Cereals, Citrus Fruit, Fibre Crops, Fruit, Oil Crops, Oil Crops and Cakes in Oil Equivalent, Pulses, Roots and Tubers, Sugar Crops, Treenuts and Vegetables. Data are expressed in terms of area harvested, production quantity and yield. Cereals: Area and production data on cereals relate to crops harvested for dry grain only. Cereal crops harvested for hay or harvested green for food, feed or silage or used for grazing are therefore excluded. 2) CROPS PROCESSED: Beer of barley; Cotton lint; Cottonseed; Margarine, short; Molasses; Oil, coconut (copra); Oil, cottonseed; Oil, groundnut; Oil, linseed; Oil, maize; Oil, olive, virgin; Oil, palm; Oil, palm kernel; Oil, rapeseed; Oil, safflower; Oil, sesame; Oil, soybean; Oil, sunflower; Palm kernels; Sugar Raw Centrifugal; Wine. 3) LIVE ANIMALS: Animals live n.e.s.; Asses; Beehives; Buffaloes; Camelids, other; Camels; Cattle; Chickens; Ducks; Geese and guinea fowls; Goats; Horses; Mules; Pigeons, other birds; Pigs; Rabbits and hares; Rodents, other; Sheep; Turkeys. 4) LIVESTOCK PRIMARY: Beeswax; Eggs (various types); Hides buffalo, fresh; Hides, cattle, fresh; Honey, natural; Meat (ass, bird nes, buffalo, camel, cattle, chicken, duck, game, goat, goose and guinea fowl, horse, mule, Meat nes, meat other camelids, Meat other rodents, pig, rabbit, sheep, turkey); Milk (buffalo, camel, cow, goat, sheep); Offals, nes; Silk-worm cocoons, reelable; Skins (goat, sheep); Snails, not sea; Wool, greasy. 5) LIVESTOCK PROCESSED: Butter (of milk from sheep, goat, buffalo, cow); Cheese (of milk from goat, buffalo, sheep, cow milk); Cheese of skimmed cow milk; Cream fresh; Ghee (cow and buffalo milk); Lard; Milk (dry buttermilk, skimmed condensed, skimmed cow, skimmed dried, skimmed evaporated, whole condensed, whole dried, whole evaporated); Silk raw; Tallow; Whey (condensed and dry); Yoghurt.