Tea brings wealth to county in SE China's Fujian

In the 1980s, Anxi was the largest national-level poverty-stricken county in southeast China's Fujian Province. Through the tea industry, it rose to rank among the top 100 counties in China in development.

Anxi is the place of origin of oolong tea and the place where Tieguanyin, a variety of oolong tea, was discovered. In 2023, the county's tea planting area reached 600,000 mu (400 square kilometers), with a total tea leaf output of 62,000 tonnes. The comprehensive output value of its tea industry was 36.2 billion yuan (about $4.94 billion).

Photo shows a tea garden in Anxi county, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Anxi)

The rise of new-style tea drinks has brought new opportunities for Anxi.

During a recent seminar on the development of Anxi's new-style tea drink supply chain (raw tea materials) held in Shanghai, experts said Anxi boasts advantages in developing the tea industry, including tea gardens with a sound ecological environment, high-quality tea leaves, substantial tea production, a solid industrial foundation, and a well-established supporting industry.

Workers pick tea leaves at a tea garden in Anxi, southeast China's Fujian Province. (Photo courtesy of the media convergence center of Anxi)

In 2023, Anxi supplied over 60,000 tonnes of tea raw materials for new-style tea drinks, accounting for more than 20 percent of the national total. It became a key supply base for China's new-style tea drink production.

Anxi has implemented measures to promote the high-quality development of the tea industry, including attracting tea producers, establishing supply chain companies, and setting up tea selection centers and warehouses to accommodate various tea varieties, thereby driving industry growth.