Overproduction　of　tea　in　the　major　producing　countries　is　an　important　factor　which　restricts　the　development　of　tea.　Therefore,　the　factors　from　the　economic,　social　and　environmental　system　affecting　tea　production　have　become　the　focus　of　both　academia　and　practice.　Random　forest　regression　(RFR)　and　mean　impact　value　(MIV)　were　applied　to　evaluate　the　weights　of　variables.　Firstly,　RFR　was　preliminarily　used　to　build　a　well-trained　model,　and　then　the　weights　of　variables　combining　with　MIV　were　calculated.　Then,　a　well-trained　model　was　constructed　after　variable　selection　to　evaluate　the　importance　of　tea　production　from　2007　to　2016.　The　results　revealed　that　the　economic　system　and　the　social　system　are　the　main　factors　that　affect　tea　production.　The　net　production　value　and　total　population　have　little　negative　effects　on　tea　production,　while　the　area　harvested　has　a　little　positive　effect.　Based　on　the　research　findings,　governments　and　enterprises　should　develop　and　upgrade　tea　production　technology,　promote　the　exchange　and　cooperation　in　the　international　tea　trade,　then　ultimately　achieve　sustainable　development　of　the　tea　industry.　©　2019,　Czech　Academy　of　Agricultural　Sciences.　All　rights　reserved.