In recent years, Hanzhong City has thoroughly studied and implemented President Xi Jinping's important discussions on developing the Tea industry and his instructions during his inspection visits to Hanzhong. The city has been continuously making efforts in new varieties, new equipment, new products, new business forms, and new marketing strategies, exploring a high-quality development path for the entire tea industry chain. Currently, the total area of tea gardens in the city is 1.324 million mu, directly involving 300,000 households and 1 million people. It has cumulatively helped 90,000 households and 300,000 people onto the path of prosperity. In 2025, the average income per mu of tea gardens increased by 1,500 yuan compared to 2025, an increase of 22.2%; the per capita income of tea farmers increased by 3,600 yuan compared to 2025, an increase of 30%, which is 7% higher than the growth rate of disposable income per rural resident in the city.

1

Building Benchmark Bases Based on New Varieties

First, introducing and promoting excellent varieties. The city introduced more than 30 high-quality, special, and novel tea tree varieties such as Shaicha No. 1, Zhongcha 108, Gold Bud, Yellow Middle, and White Middle series. It also selected over 30 superior local single plants. A 480-mu mother garden for quality breeds was established, along with a 40-mu tea variety resource nursery, collecting, preserving, and breeding over 400 tea tree varieties. A 560-mu tea seedling breeding base was constructed, capable of producing 75 million high-quality seedlings annually, gradually improving the quality breeding system. Second, building standardized tea gardens. The city continued to improve infrastructure such as water, electricity, roads, and networks in tea gardens, promoting mechanized operations like cultivation, fertilization, picking, pruning, and water and fertilizer management. There are 26 demonstration sites for full mechanization of tea garden management covering over 30,000 mu, radiating and driving 200,000 mu. Third, promoting green development. The city strengthened the application of new technologies such as efficient weed control and green prevention and control, accelerating the construction of a green, ecological, and low-carbon tea industry. Certified organic tea gardens cover 51,800 mu in the city, with 104 “Hanzhong Ecological Tea Gardens” created, forming a vast ecological tea industry belt in the northern foothills of Mount Bashan.

(New Yellow Series Variety)

2

Strengthening Industry Leaders Supported by New Equipment

The city integrated policy, funds, loans, technology, and other elements to support companies in speeding up equipment updates, comprehensively enhancing production efficiency and product quality. Intelligent temperature control, efficient fixation, diversified shaping, intelligent color sorting, and other new Tea processing technologies were promoted. A total of 125 primary tea factories have been renovated in the city, establishing 167 continuous and intelligent production lines, with 192 companies obtaining SC certification. Over 80 tea companies have an annual processing capacity of more than 300 tons. Tea products have won over 30 gold awards, special gold awards, etc., in international and domestic competitions. Among the 860 tea processing companies in the city, 66 are municipal-level or above leading enterprises, including 2 national leading enterprises. Five tea companies—Shanhua, Qianshan, Pengxiang, Yixichun, and Lujiaozi—are among the “Top 100 Enterprises in China's Tea Industry.”

3

Optimizing Market Supply Through New Products

4

Expanding Multiple Functions in New Business Forms

Focusing on scenic tea gardens, the city extensively promoted models such as “leading enterprises + cooperatives + farmers” and “Party branch + collective economy + farmers,” developing new business forms like “tea production + experience + tourism.” Over 20 deep integration demonstration points for tea and tourism, such as Jiangbang Mingyuan in Xixiang County, Dongyu Health Valley, and Qianshan Yuhuang Temple in Ningqiang County, have been built. Yuhuang Temple Tea Garden in Ningqiang County and Chuxi Source Scenic Area in Zhenba County have successfully become AAA-rated scenic areas. Tianci Qin Yun Company in Xixiang County was awarded the “National Ecological Farm.” The ecological tea gardens of Yixichun in Zhenba County and Qianshan Yuhuang Temple in Ningqiang County were named “China's Most Beautiful Ecological Tea Gardens.” Eleven tea travel routes have been developed, three of which were selected as provincial-level tea travel integrated premium routes. The “Dongyang – Waziyuan Lake – Cherry Valley” route was included in the national premium tea travel hotlines.

5

Strengthening Public Brands Through New Marketing Strategies

First, strengthening publicity and promotion. Organizing tea companies to participate in large exhibitions such as the Tea Expo, Silk Road Expo, and Agricultural High-Tech Fair more than 20 times annually; hosting events such as “Hundred Enterprises Tea Zone Tour,” Handmade Tea Competition, Online Tea Expo, etc., multiple times. Second, strengthening production and sales connections. Vigorously conducting internet-based new marketing strategies such as online live streaming sales, reservation pre-sales, point-to-point delivery, etc. More than 100 tea companies achieve online sales of over 500 million yuan annually. Adapting to the trend of new retail, the city has increased the transformation of traditional stores, adding interactive experiences such as new-style tea drinks, teahouse cooking, and tea art performances. So far, over 200 Hanzhong tea experience stores have been transformed, and more than 700 specialty stores, exclusive stores, and franchise stores have been opened, covering 13 provinces and 28 major cities across the country. Actively expanding foreign trade to explore international markets, Hanzhong tea is exported to over ten countries in Southeast Asia, Central Asia, Eastern Europe, etc., with annual exports exceeding 5,000 tons. Third, expanding brand influence. Actively participating in evaluation and selection activities organized by national ministries and commissions, Hanzhong City was rated as a “Hanzhong Immortal Tip Chinese Special Agricultural Product Advantage Zone” by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and six other ministries in 2025. In 2025, it successfully created a “Hanzhong Immortal Tip National Geographical Indication Product Protection Demonstration Zone” by the State Intellectual Property Office. “Hanzhong Immortal Tip” ranked 23rd in the reputation of China's geographical indication agricultural products (tea) regional public brands in 2025.