Tea Business: Government investment helps tea business flourish in eastern China

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02:34

In the last few years, the Chinese government has been calling for the development of a beautiful countryside. It's also been encouraging villages to improve their livelihoods by developing their own businesses. For many villages, that means making better use of their natural advantages. CGTN's Hu Chao visited one such village in Zhejiang Province, where the local tea business is flourishing.

36-year-old Tao Yujun has been a tea roaster for nearly two decades. His family is one of many local families involved in the tea business in Bashan village. He has witnessed the lows and highs of the business in the village.

TAO YUJUN, VETERAN TEA ROASTER BASHAN VILLAGE, ZHEJIANG PROVINCE "Twenty years ago, the average family income here was only twenty thousand yuan a year. But since local officials started to give more support, our business has been growing fast. Now a family can make around two hundred thousand yuan a year on average."

HU CHAO BASHAN VILLAGE, ZHEJIANG PROVINCE "Tea planting in Bashan has a history of more than 400 years. This tea field is only about eight kilometers away from where the renowned West Lake Longjing tea is produced. Thanks to similar natural conditions, the tea produced here actually shares the same good quality as the West Lake variety."

Without its own brand, for many years, tea produced in Bashan has been purchased and labelled by other famous tea brands. In 2006, the local government decided to support the local tea business and establish its own brand: Bashan Gaofeng Tea. Tens of millions of yuan were invested to improve the tea planting facilities, as well as tourist facilities.

TAO YUJUN, VETERAN TEA ROASTER BASHAN VILLAGE, ZHEJIANG PROVINCE "Now our tea fields have become more beautiful. Roads on the hills were improved and we also have a better irrigation system. All these improvements have helped us make more money."

The tea planting area in Bashan has expanded from several hundred thousand square meters to over six million square meters. And the beautiful view has been attracting more visitors.

ZHU CHI, HEAD OF FUYANG GAOFENG TEA COOPERATIVE HANGZHOU, ZHEJIANG PROVINCE "The tea industry in Bashan is now attracting more and more business people and tourists. This has all contributed to local economic development."

The local government says it will continue to support the tea business and improve the environment, helping villagers build a better life. Hu Chao, CGTN, Bashan village, Zhejiang Province.