In recent years, the Ming Shan District has thoroughly implemented the important instructions of President Xi Jinping regarding the integrated development of Tea culture, industry, and technology. Relying on the strengths of universities, research institutions, and tea enterprises, the district has actively promoted the construction of innovative productivity in the tea industry, achieving remarkable results and moving towards a high-quality development path supported by technological empowerment.
In the lush summer scenery of Niu Nianping's ten-thousand mu scenic tea garden, everything is full of vitality. Within the tea tree hybrid breeding garden in the scenic area, Agricultural Technician Guo Lei from the Ming Shan District Tea Industry Development Center, along with Senior Agricultural Worker Wen Weiqi from the Tea Tree Fine Variety Breeding Field, are carefully observing and recording the new tea tree varieties they have cultivated. They meticulously examine the growth status of each tea plant, from the color and shape of the leaves to the growth rate of the tea trees, with every piece of data being meticulously recorded for subsequent scientific analysis. According to Guo Lei, these newly cultivated varieties, after multiple rounds of screening and improvement, not only have stronger resilience but also richer internal components. The brewed tea has a vibrant green color, a long-lasting fragrance, and a fresh taste, all of which are very popular in the market. This is a vivid manifestation of the innovative productivity in the Ming Shan District's tea industry.
Agricultural Technician Guo Lei from the Ming Shan District Tea Industry Development Center: “The Ming Shan District has made breakthrough progress in the development of new tea tree varieties, new technologies, and the formulation of new products and standards through close cooperation with Sichuan Agricultural University, the Tea Research Institute of the Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and other research institutions. This has improved the quality of our tea and increased the income of local tea farmers.”
Following Guo Lei, the reporter arrived at Yage Biotechnology Company, which is currently under construction. According to the company's leader Wang Bing, the company does not produce traditional green or black teas but focuses on developing functional tea products. The “Tibetan Tea Special Drink,” developed by Professor He Chunlei's team from Sichuan Agricultural University, is produced here.
Wang Bing, leader of Yage Biotechnology: “Developed by Professor He's team from Sichuan Agricultural University and produced by our company, the ‘Meng Gongzi – Tibetan Tea Special Drink' has a tri-lowering effect and has received excellent market feedback. Currently, the company is under construction and is expected to achieve an annual output value of over two hundred million yuan upon completion, and it will be our flagship product.”
↑The above images show Jasmine tea and gardenia tea processed by Zhuolin Tea Factory.
In addition to traditional tea products and functional tea products, the Ming Shan District is also making efforts to expand its presence in the “new tea beverage” market. The district innovates production elements and conducts extensive research to explore new resources for tea production, such as introducing gardenias and orchids into floral tea production. It drafted the first national standard for Orchid tea and the first provincial standard for gardenia tea, promoting the development of new tea beverages. These standards were released during the opening ceremony of the 20th Mengding Mountain tea Culture and Tourism Festival on March 27, attracting significant attention within the industry. Analysis shows that gardenias can increase the income of tea farmers by more than 30,000 yuan per mu and generate economic benefits of over 200 million yuan for tea enterprises in the Ming Shan District, while also driving development in surrounding tea regions. Furthermore, leading brands in the new tea beverage sector have developed a series of drinks using orchids and gardenias, with Sichuan being the largest producer of orchid tea in the country, where orchid tea has already become a calling card for Sichuan tea. During the interview with Zhuolin Tea, its leader He Changbo stated that entering the emerging market of “new tea beverages” with orchid and gardenia teas is full of opportunities.
He Changbo, leader of Zhuolin Tea: “Our Zhuolin Tea Factory was also involved in drafting the standards for orchid tea and gardenia tea. The implementation of these new standards has made our products more competitive in the market, and we are also providing technical processing and production guidance for orchid and gardenia teas for the collective economy in Ming Shan. Orchid and gardenia teas have become new highlights in the Ming Shan tea industry and have been well-received by consumers. Riding the wave of the ‘new tea beverages,' we expect our sales to grow by around 40% this year.”
Through close cooperation with various research institutions and tea enterprises, the Ming Shan District is continuously promoting technological innovation and high-quality development in the tea industry. From the selection and cultivation of new varieties to the application of new technologies and the implementation of new standards, the effects of innovative productivity in the Ming Shan District's tea industry are evident. Not only has it enhanced the competitiveness of tea in the market, but it has also brought tangible benefits to local tea farmers. Moving forward, the Ming Shan District will continue to leverage technological empowerment to develop innovative productivity, accelerating the modernization and intelligence of the tea industry, further consolidating and expanding its competitive advantage in domestic and international tea markets, and injecting strong momentum into rural revitalization and local economic development.
Reporters: Gao Kai, Wang Tianjie