Coffee, Tea, Mate, Spices and Pickles

Coffee, tea, mate, spices and pickles, with code: HS 09, are the sixth exchanged products between Iran and Switzerland in terms of commodity value. According to statistics published by the trade map website, the total export value of these products in 2019 from Iran to Switzerland was equal to 770 thousand dollars. Subcategories of this tariff code include: coffee, tea, mate, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, nutmeg (hazelnut skin) and cardamom, fennel seeds, anise seeds, savory seeds, coriander seeds, cumin, black cumin; Cedar seeds, ginger, saffron, turmeric, thyme, curry, bay leaf and other spices.

Export statistics

Saffron export to Switzerland in 1399 was equal to 0.11 million dollars. (Source: E.tpo.ir) Tea export to the whole world  in the same year was equal to 23,666 million dollars, which according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration was 0 dollars however according to the trade map it was equal to 35,000 dollars. The 4-digit tariff code 0909 (related to fennel seeds, anise, savory, etc.) according to the trade map is equal to 2 thousand dollars and according to the Islamic Republic of Iran Customs Administration is equal to 0 dollars. At last according to the customs statistics, export to Switzerland with tariff related to pepper was $ 164 in 1399, and according to the trade map, it was equal to $ 2,000 in 2019.

Iran is one of the countries with high potential of saffron and tea production and export.

 

Saffron

Iran has a long history of producing saffron and has been cultivating it in the Central Plateau for a long time. Saffron is exchanged in the world market with the HS code 091020. The largest importers of Saffron are respectively; China (35,951,066 $), Spain (29,916,327 $), India (23,018,881 $) and the United States (14,845,986 $) and largest exporters in the same year are; Spain (48,464,340 $), Greece (4,221,766 $). Oranges (3,181,091$) and Poland (2,476,975 $). (Source: Comtrade.un.org )

Also, according to the statistics provided by the Customs of the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1399, the total export of Iranian saffron is equal to 190,686,310 dollars, however according to the UN report there is not such an information so it can be inferred that Iran is now the largest exporter of saffron in the world.

Saffron is exported in different forms, but according to the data, the percentage of exports in different forms:

Saffron export share based on product breakdown(Source: Rafaran Report of the Ministry of Agriculture)

 

Tea

Tea is one of the strategic and most consumed commodities in the world, which is the most consumed beverage in the world after water.

Export procedure of Iranian tea exports has increased in recent years, from 294,891 thousand dollars in 2014 to 393,448 thousand dollars in 2018.

Chart of Iran's exports to the world (Source: trademap.org)

But it seems that in the domestic market, due to lack of proper marketing and customer attraction, Iranian tea has not been able to achieve its desired position. The largest tea exporters in the world in 2019 are; Brazil 4,862,624 thousand dollars, China 3,640,092 thousand dollars, Vietnam 3,402,328 thousand dollars and India 3.232,263 thousand dollars. Iran is the 24th country after turkey.

 

It is worth mentioning that UAE is one the top ten tea exports worldwide, which has been able to maintain the leading position of tea export from 2012 to 2018, although this country does not have the ability to cultivate tea but with the import of green leaves, process and then converting them into dry black tea, it has been able to hold a great share in global market.



Top producers in Iran