Tea industry brings wealth to locals in Yongtai, SE China's Fujian

With an extensive history of tea production, Yongtai county in Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province, has developed a burgeoning tea industry, bringing prosperity to locals.

Farmers harvest tea leaves in Yongtai county, Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the publicity department of the Party committee of Yongtai county)

Historical records show that Yongtai produced quality tea in the Tang Dynasty (618-907), and a type of tea produced in the county was served as a tribute to the imperial court in the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).

Located at an average altitude of over 500 meters, the county has a forest coverage rate of 69.73 percent. The soil of mountains is suitable for growing tea trees.

In recent years, with special funds of 11.5 million yuan ($1.7 million) from the municipal and provincial governments, Yongtai county has turned Tong'an into a town known for the tea industry, established a city-level modern agricultural park and implemented a program to protect its green tea, which was registered as a geographical indication (GI) product. Its tea industry leapfrogged by promoting the integration of the sector with tourism.

In 2013, the county began planting more types of quality tea trees and producing oolong tea, black tea, white tea, and Jasmine tea, said Zhang Yanhui, deputy director of the county's rural revitalization and development center.

Photo shows the picturesque scenery of a tea mountain in Yongtai county, Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the publicity department of the Party committee of Yongtai county)

In 2021, the county’s planting area reached 40,600 mu (2,706 hectares), and its tea output hit 16,400 tonnes, with an output value of 900 million yuan in the tea industrial chain.

The county has planted over 30 types of tea trees. It is home to more than 28 tea processing plants and 12 tea cooperatives, with over 10,000 people working in the industry. It was recognized as one of the top 100 counties in the tea sector in China in 2021.

The thriving tea industry in Yongtai county has generated wealth for locals. On Jan. 12, 2023, villagers from 41 households in Tong'an town received dividends of more than 140,000 yuan from a company founded by Lu Guiyun, who returned to her hometown Tong'an in 2019 to promote the integrated development of the tea industry and tourism.

Villagers receive dividends in Tong'an town, Yongtai county, Fuzhou, capital of southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the publicity department of the Party committee of Yongtai county)

In December 2020, Lu signed contracts with farmers from 41 households in the town, under which farmers can find jobs and become shareholders of her company by investing.

Lu's thriving tea and tourism businesses have also helped boost the sales of local agricultural products. Villagers' idle houses have also been turned into B&B hotels, bringing them greater income.