Mechanized Tencha farming boosts rural vitalization in Guizhou

Mechanized harvesting allows farmers to swiftly gather fresh Tencha leaves. [Photo/ddcpc website]

The Tencha plantation base in Zhuyuan village, Yinjiang county, Southwest China's Guizhou province, is greeting visitors with the sights and sounds of a bustling harvest. Armed with mechanical tea harvesters, local workers are busy gathering fresh Tencha, a specialized green tea leaf used to make Matcha powder, while other farmers assist with sorting, bagging, and transport.

By relying on mechanized, standardized operations, the base consistently yields 250 kilograms of fresh tea leaves and 50 kg of dried tea per mu (0.07 hectares). This approach not only shortens the harvest cycle but also eliminates common issues associated with manual picking, such as uneven leaf sizes and bruising. With significantly better integrity and uniformity, the fresh leaves perfectly meet Tencha processing standards, allowing the farm to command premium prices for premium quality.

In recent years, Yinjiang has utilized its pristine ecological conditions to lean into the specialty Tencha industry. By upgrading its industrial infrastructure, the county has established 13,000 mu of standardized Tencha bases, built two 1,000-mu demonstration zones, and nurtured four large-scale Tencha processing enterprises.

This boom has drawn 17 towns and townships, 55 villages, and over 12,000 farming households deep into the supply chain. As a result, participating households have seen their average annual income increase by 2,000 yuan ($295), while village collective economies have seen an average annual increase of over 50,000 yuan.

Yinjiang plans to further optimize its entire tea industry supply chain by promoting modern agricultural techniques and unlocking the full value of the Tencha industry, ensuring this green economy continues to pay dividends for its people, and cementing it as a pillar industry driving rural vitalization.