Up until the 1980s, Taiwan's tea growers produced primarily (75 %) for export. But as the economy began to take flight labor became both expensive and scarce, causing tea growers 'production costs to rise. As their products became less competitive in their traditional export markets--the UK, the US, and Canada--growers became more dependent on the domestic market, which began to account for 90 % of their sales.
在 1980 年代以前，台灣茶業以外銷為主（75％），但隨著經濟起飛，工資躍升、勞力缺乏，台灣茶業的生產成本日益提高，逐漸喪失在英、美、加等傳統茶葉外銷市場上的競爭能力，轉而以內需為主（90％）。