Tea industry boosts farmers' incomes in Tian'e county

In early July, the ecological tea garden in Yaoshan village, Pojie township, Tian'e county is flourishing with green scenery. 

The tea industry is a characteristic industry in Pojie township, Tian'e county. It has become a pillar industry for promoting agricultural efficiency, increasing farmers' incomes, transferring surplus rural labor, and stimulating industrial development.

Locals from the Zhuang ethnic group pick tea in the fields in Pojie township. [Photo/Hechi Daily]

Tian'e's 82 percent forest coverage rate, temperate and humid climate, abundant rainfall, fertile soil, and unique natural resources make it a desirable place to live. Pojie township has built a Tian'e black tea industry demonstration zone that integrates tea cultivation, processing, and sales by relying on the natural advantages of more than 1,200 wild ancient tea trees.

After years of development, the demonstration area now has a planting area of 5,480 mu (365.3 hectares). The demonstration area produces 200 metric tons of dry tea annually, with an annual output value of 20 million yuan ($3 million).

The demonstration zone has also established three local professional teams for planting, processing and selling tea by recruiting locals to work at the base. It has cultivated 18 tea product processing experts, led one village to participate in the village-level collective economy that provides annual incomes of 50,000 yuan, and encourages 726 surrounding farmers to develop organic tea cultivation techniques.