The spring tea-picking season has started in many places across the Yangtze River Delta region, including Mashan Peninsula in the city of Wuxi, Jiangsu province, where a special variety of green tea called Hao Cha is produced.
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Tea growers in Wanfeng village, Mashan, Wuxi, pick tea leaves in the area's large tea gardens. [Photo/wxrb.com] |
Hao Cha tea was developed in Wuxi in 1973. Made from the fresh leaves of a cloned variety of tea plant known for its high yield and quality, the tea belongs to the top grade of green tea and has won various awards over the years.
Since March 18, tea growers in Wuxi's Wanfeng Village have been buried in the task of picking and stir-frying the plants. A tea grower is capable of picking 3 kilograms of fresh sprouts every day, with each 4.5 kg capable of producing 1kg of Hao Cha tea leaves.
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A tea grower holds a big basket of tea leaves in Wuxi, Jiangsu province. [Photo/wxrb.com] |
According to a local tea farmer, the comparatively warm temperatures over the winter period have guaranteed the healthy growth of this year's tea plants and prevented any cold damage. This year is set to be the best harvest for five years, with 80 tons of tea likely to be produced in total.
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A tea grower places tea leaves in the sun to dry them in Wanfeng village in Wuxi, Jiangsu province. [Photo/wxrb.com] |
