Workers pick tea leaves at tea plantation in Hongshawan

Workers pick tea leaves at a tea plantation in Hongshawan, Binhu district, Wuxi on March 24, 2018. Covering an area of 300 mu (20 hectares), Hongshawan is always one of the first places where people start picking tea leaves every March in Wuxi. [Photo/wxrb.com]

Wuxi's Binhu district is famous among citizens as the birthplace of "Wuxi Haocha" and "Erquan Yinhao", two varieties of green tea characterized by their green color, delicate aroma, mellow taste and striking shape.

According to the Agriculture and Forestry Bureau, March remains the best month to start picking tea leaves. This year, a total of 90 tons of tea leaves are expected to be produced in Binhu district, the same as last tear.

Covering an area of 6,000 mu (400 hectares), the plantations in Binhu district are picked early due to the district's proximity to Taihu Lake. Hui Quan tea, a type of "Wuxi Haocha", was the nation's top green tea from 2001 to 2015.