In the height of summer, tea gardens across Hefeng County in Enshi Prefecture buzz with activity. Once neglected summer and autumn teas have become highly sought after due to the use of mechanized tea harvesters. Processing these off-season teas has not only increased the average yield per acre but also bolstered the economic returns for tea farmers.
In recent days, in Guanding Village, Zouma Town, Hefeng County, local resident Chen Yonghong has been busy picking summer tea alongside his family. With the help of mechanized tea pickers, they can harvest over 2,000 pounds in a day, which can fetch around 3,000 yuan at current market prices.
Local tea farmers explain that hand-picking is inefficient, and once the tea garden reaches a certain size, timely harvesting becomes challenging, leading to unsold tea. Furthermore, because summer and autumn teas sell for much less than spring teas, farmers often opt not to harvest them, resulting in waste.
While villagers are busy picking, nearby enterprises are busy processing. Locals deliver several loads of fresh tea leaves daily to a tea company in Enshi Prefecture. Inside the factory, machines hum as more than 20 workers work overtime to fill orders from Zhejiang, Anhui, Fujian, and other regions.
To better support production and ensure that tea from surrounding farmers turns into income, this year the Tea processing company invested over 5 million yuan to add two production lines. This expansion not only helps increase the company's output and efficiency but also boosts the economic earnings of local tea farmers.
Tea is a pillar industry in Hefeng County, with a total area of 395,000 mu dedicated to tea cultivation. In the first half of this year, the county produced 22,370 tons of tea, generating 5.83 billion yuan in revenue, and exported 6,032.6 tons, earning 26.646 million U.S. dollars.
Image Source: Screenshot from Video
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