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.
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, 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, DMCC, said, “Global tea consumption is nearing US$300 billion annually, driven by premium, organic and ready to drink formats, and the UAE sits at the centre of this shift. Since we launched the DMCC Tea Centre 20 years ago, Dubai has moved from logistics gateway to global hub for value creation. The real margin sits in value add, including blending, branding and verifiable provenance, so traceability and climate resilience are now commercial necessities. This year’s Global Dubai Tea Forum set a clear direction for the industry: build a tea economy that is climate smart, digitally traceable and commercially investable. We will continue convening the industry and scaling the platforms that turn those principles into competitive advantage.”
During his keynote speech, Abdulaziz Al Nuaimi, Assistant Under-Secretary for Entrepreneurship and the Economic Affairs Regulatory Sector, UAE Ministry of Economy, said, “Dubai’s position as one of the world’s major tea re-export hubs reflects the UAE’s wider success in building a trade ecosystem defined by certainty, innovation and openness. Tea has been a driver of global commerce for centuries, and today it continues to connect producers and consumers through modern, technology-enabled value chains. By combining advanced infrastructure with efficient trade policy, the UAE has transformed tea from a traditional commodity into a catalyst for sustainable growth. This is what the UAE, Dubai and the DMCC Tea Centre offers.”
As one of the most influential tea industry platforms, the GDTF brings together government leaders, producers, traders, buyers, and multinationals from across the tea value chain. This year’s edition was themed “Tea at the Crossroads: Trade, Tariffs and Technology in an Age of Realignment” and attracted hundreds of stakeholders to Dubai to discuss the main challenges and opportunities shaping the tea industry in coming years.
Discussions explored how climate volatility, inflation, and new consumer behaviours – 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 that 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. With climate risk already reshaping origin markets such as Kenya, the forum underscored why traceability and resilience are now commercial imperatives for the industry.
Anchored in the heart of Dubai’s global trade ecosystem, the DMCC Tea Centre 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.
