Twenty-third Session of the Intergovernmental Group on Tea

From May 17th to 20th 2018; China, India, Sri Lanka, and other major tea producing countries in the world along with the United Kingdom, the United States, Germany and Australia and other major tea marketing countries as well as 116 representatives from 25 countries and international organizations, including the International Tea Committee (ITC), participated in the 23rd session of FAO Intergovernmental Working Group on Tea (FAO-igg /Tea) in Hangzhou, China.

Mr. James Shen from Australia Tea Association has been providing services and help for the cooperation and exchange of the international tea industry for the past 15 years. He found that Australia has never formally entered the international tea industry exchange, cooperation, and conference. As an Australian, it is necessary for Australia to make some contributions to the international tea industry. He therefore represented Australia at the conference as an observer.

The meeting reached consensus on several key issues in the development of the global tea industry, such as tea quality standards, tea farming pest control and chemical residue limit standards, international recognition of organic tea and promotion of global tea consumption.

With more than 15 years of experience in international tea industry cooperation, James Shen pays special attention to tea industry development and poverty alleviation. Therefore, he joined the "Working group of Global Tea Market Analysis and Promotion " with representatives from China, India, Malaysia, and Malawi. Based on the agenda submitted to the General Assembly for consideration, the topic of setting May 21st annually as "International Tea Day" was formally proposed and was adopted by the 74th General Assembly of the United Nations in November 2019 as resolution 241.

With the establishment and promotion of the "International Tea Day", it has a positive significance for eliminating poverty, promoting equality, empowering women, and strengthening ecological protection, and has laid a good foundation for the practitioners and consumers of the tea industry to bring a healthy and beautiful life.

Read more details of the conference here