Big plans for famous Xinyang Maojian tea variety

Most tea producing regions in China are either located on the eastern coast (Zhejiang, Fujian, etc.) or in the country’s southwest (Sichuan, Yunnan, etc.). Central China isn’t usually considered as a tea growing ground. However, Xinyang Maojian (信阳毛尖), a green tea variety often mentioned as one of China’s “Ten Famous Teas” comes from central China’s Henan (河南) province.

The city of Xinyang (信阳), the administrative region, where Xinyang Maojian is produced, has big ambitions for its tea industry. It plans to become China’s biggest green tea production centre. To reach this objective, the local authorities plan to increase the size of tea plantations by fifteen to twenty mu (亩) each year until the whole production reaches 1.5 million mu.

In parallel, steps are taken to further increase  Xinyang Maojian’s notoriety. Since 1992, the city organizes a tea culture festival, that takes place at the end of April. Since the 2010 edition the festival was renamed Xinyang International Tea Culture Festival (信阳国际茶文化节). This year, a forum called “Tea and the World” (“茶于世界”) was held in the course of the festival. These talks were aimed at international guests and speakers.

While an increase of production and the economies of scale that go with it are one part of the plan, quality and brand awareness also play a role in it. The reputation of Xinyang Maojian as a famous tea is to be consolidated.

On one hand tea from Xinyang will explore new markets; on the other hand the city itself plans to attract visitors, thanks to the tea it produces. The city of Xinyang is to offer a full tea experience for tourists: visits of ecological tea gardens; tea tasting; picking fields, where one can have a go at picking his own leaves, etc.

Like in most regions of China, where there is a tradition of tea plantations, tea is considered a way to reach financial wealth for the local farmers. The yields earned from tea are much higher than with other agricultural goods.

Chinese sources: 信阳第十八届国际茶文化节开幕; 信阳：念好茶字经 打造茶之都; 聚焦2010中国鸡公山”茶与世界”高峰论坛(图)