Jiangxi growers ready to spread their flavors around the world

Organic green tea is handpicked at a plantation in Wuyuan county, Jiangxi province. [Zhuo Zhongwei/for China Daily]

Drinking green and black tea has been a way of life for centuries in Jiangxi province, but now exports of both varieties are booming too, particularly to Russia, say industry officials.

With a subtropical climate and tea-growing areas enjoying high humidity and natural rainfall, Jiangxi is ideal for the production of high-quality tea.

The Ninghong black tea, from Xiushui county, has been especially successful at spreading its taste overseas.

Xiushui started producing tea in the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), while Ninghong started being grown and sold even earlier.

But Yu Danhua, general manager of Jiangxi Ninghong Co Ltd, said that with its rich, colorful history still playing a key part in its marketing, the brand has managed to reinvent itself using new models and cutting-edge technology.

Jiangxi Ninghong is one of the region's largest black tea producers in terms of both domestic and overseas sales. It exports its premium teas to Poland, the Netherlands and Russia, pushing total group revenues to 20 million yuan ($3.14 million) last year.

Yu said Chinese black tea has struggled to break into the European and the United States markets, because pesticide content levels fail to meet international standards.

But Jiangxi's black tea enjoys "ultra-low" pesticide residue levels.

"The earth in Jiangxi is rich and has no need for chemical fertilizers. These favorable conditions highlight the high nutritional values of our tea."

The province has mild temperatures and its rainfall levels are ideal for tea-growing.

Its plant-growing cycle is slow because of the high altitude, allowing the tea to absorb more natural nutrients, making it a premium brand, he said.

Last year, tea exports from Jiangxi were worth $46 million, a 34.4 percent rise on the previous year.

Many of its producers are firmly focused on exports, but Yu said they appreciate the fight they have on their hands to enhance their reputation.

Jiangxi Riantea Group is the province's second-largest exporter, posting total sales last year of $11.6 million, 90 percent of which were overseas.

Its green tea products are on shelves in Germany, France, the United Arab Emirates, Nepal and the United States.

"Compared with other countries, Chinese green tea has its very own unique flavors, and has been favored especially in western Europe," said Liu Jianli, Jiangxi Riantea's export manager.

"Awareness levels for Jiangxi tea, however, are still low, compared, for instance, with tea from Fujian and Anhui provinces," said Liu. "So we need to strengthen our marketing efforts and raise our reputation."

Contact the writer at zhuwenqian@chinadaily.com.cn