The inaugural Hong Kong International Tea Fair will take place on Aug. 13-15, 2009, the Chinese Tea Culture International Exchange Association announced here Tuesday.

The fair, which will be held alongside the annual Food Expo, is being co-organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, said Yang Sunxi, president of the association, at the founding ceremony of the association.

The tea fair will showcase a variety of tea, processed tea and tea products, tea packaging, processing equipment and testing services, tea ware and the latest tea technology from all over the world.

It will also host tea bars, tea organizations, services and publications, bringing exhibitors and buyers together from all over the region to explore business opportunities, said Yang.

Fair highlights will include the International Tea Competition, with an internationally renowned judging panel invited to select the 10 best teas of the world.

The highlights also include "The Most Beloved Tea" to be voted by exhibitors and buyers, tea-brewing performances, industry seminars and a series of public forums on tea.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, tea production reached 3.87 million tons in 2007. China is the world's largest tea-producing country, followed by India, Kenya, Sri Lanka and Indonesia. Hong Kong has the highest tea consumption among Asian cities, and ranks ninth in the world in per capita tea consumption.

Yang said that his association will actively promote international exchanges of tea culture and international tea trade together with other agencies, so as to make Hong Kong a global marketplace for tea and a capital of tea culture.