Tea Day to be marked today

Islamabad : International Tea Day will be marked today (Sunday) across the globe including Pakistan with the aim to promote and foster collective actions to implement activities in favour of the sustainable production and consumption of tea and raise awareness of its importance in fighting hunger and poverty.

Tea is a beverage made from the Camellia Sinensis plant. Tea is the world's most consumed drink, after water.

It is believed that tea originated in northeast India, north Myanmar, and southwest China, but the exact place where the plant first grew is not known.

Tea has been with us for a long time. There is evidence that tea was consumed in China 5,000 years ago.

Tea production and processing constitutes a main source of livelihood for millions of families in developing countries and is the main means of subsistence for millions of poor families, who live in a number of least-developed countries.

The tea industry is a main source of income and export revenues for some of the poorest countries and, as a labour-intensive sector, provides jobs, especially in remote and economically disadvantaged areas.

Tea can play a significant role in rural development, poverty reduction, and food security in developing countries, being one of the most important cash crops.

Tea consumption can bring health benefits and wellness due to the beverage's anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and weight loss effects.

It also has cultural significance in many societies.

Re-emphasising the call from the Intergovernmental Group on Tea to direct greater efforts towards expanding demand, particularly in tea-producing countries, where per capita consumption is relatively low, and supporting efforts to address the declining per capita consumption in traditional importing countries, the General Assembly decided to designate 21 May as International Tea Day.