Why we grow tea in the UK?

While the UK consumes a significant amount of tea, it has a small commercial tea growing industry. The primary reason for this is that the conditions typically required for tea cultivation are not widely found in the UK.

Tea plants (Camellia sinensis) thrive in warm, humid climates with abundant rainfall. Typically grown in tropical and subtropical regions, they prefer consistent temperatures between 18 to 27°C (65 to 80°F). They also require acidic soil with good drainage.

The climate in the UK, particularly England, isn't well suited for conventional tea production. The weather tends to be cooler and less humid, with a higher variation in temperatures between seasons. Additionally, much of the UK has alkaline soils, which are not ideal for tea cultivation.

Despite these challenges, there are a handful of small tea growers in the UK, predominantly in Cornwall and Devon, where the climate is slightly warmer and more humid than in other parts of the country. These growers have managed to cultivate tea successfully by selecting varieties that are more resistant to cooler conditions, utilizing specialized growing methods, and providing suitable protection to the plants. However, the overall production is relatively small, and domestically grown tea in the UK is mainly a niche market.

Overall, the UK's tea industry is mainly focused on blending, packaging, and distributing imported teas from countries with more favorable climates and large tea-growing industries, such as India, Sri Lanka, and Kenya.