Sichuan's tea casts eyes on overseas markets

CHENGDU -- A total of 340 tonnes of green tea departed from Danling county, Southwest China's Sichuan province, for Uzbekistan Wednesday, a breakthrough in the export of mid- and high-end tea produced in the province.

With a plantation area of more than 390,000 hectares and over 90 billion yuan (about $14.1 billion) of the annual output value of the whole industry chain, Sichuan is a massive green tea production base in China, said the provincial agriculture and rural affairs department.

"Sichuan has been a major source of raw materials for China's tea exports. However, there are a few tea export enterprises in the province. And we mainly exported low-end tea in the past," said Xiao Xiaoyu, deputy director of the department.

"The 340-tonne mid- and high-end tea exported to Uzbekistan is a breakthrough, which will bring positive effects," Xiao added.

Yin Shangqin, in charge of a tea cooperative in Danling county, was busy loading the tea on a China-Europe train and other exporting procedures.

"We began in the export business two years ago and started to explore overseas mid- and high-end tea markets. We finally managed to become a trade partner with the largest tea importer in Uzbekistan," Yin added.

Based on this successful experience, the cooperative will keep exploring overseas markets and help tea growers increase their yield and incomes, Yin said.

Wang Taihong, a tea grower in Wannian village, Danling county, has been selling his tea to the cooperative over the past few years.

Once registered as a poverty-stricken village, Wannian Village has undergone massive changes since villagers started tea planting.

"Those poor villagers bid farewell to poverty years ago," Wang said, adding he owns a 3,300 sqm tea farm, which brings him nearly 60,000 yuan every year. He also grows fruit and raises chickens on his tea farm. He can therefore earn more money.

With the help of local government, a tea trade market was built and began operation in Wannian village in April 2019. The market not only made it convenient for local tea growers but also stabilized local tea price and extended trading times.

"I was worried about selling tea due to the impact of the COVID-19 epidemic. However, the government timely coordinates tea buyers to purchase our tea during the tea picking season, so our incomes were guaranteed," said Liu Yuebo, a tea grower from Hupizhai Village in Danling county.