Shan Tuyet tea is a precious specialty of the local Mong ethnic minority people, who call it “green gold”. (Photo: Vietnam+) Hanoi (VNA) - Changing minds with a coherent way of thinking, those who engage in the agricultural sector, have gradually reaped initial successes after boldly investing in sustainable production.
If high-tech shrimp farming households in the Mekong delta province of Tra Vinh can bring in income from 500 million to 700 million VND/year thanks to their initiatives and experiences in production, farmers in Ta Xua commune, Bac Yen district, the northern mountainous province of Son La - which was formerly the poorest district in the country, now can gain big from tea production using new technology.
In agricultural production, Vietnamese farmers usually face a lot of risks relating to weather, climate change, environmental pollution and epidemics.
Ta Xua commune of Bac Yen district in the northern mountainous province of Son La is renowned as the land of ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees.
Shan Tuyet tea trees in Ta Xua commune grow in an environment that is filled with clouds and cold fog all year round. Shan Tuyet tea is a precious specialty of the local Mong ethnic minority people, who call it “green gold”.
A Shan Tuyet tree has a rough trunk, while its bark is covered with moss and ferns. Although many trees are over 100 years old, they still continue to produce fresh buds. To pick Shan Tuyet tea buds, local people have to climb up ancient and tall trees and pick fresh buds one by one and place them in a basket on their back. When trees produce ‘one bud and two leaves’, it is the right time to harvest tea buds, which should be dried immediately on the same day to ensure the best quality.
Shanam green tea is ranked in the Top One of the world's green tea by the US’s Tea Epicure with a score of 94/100 (Photo: Vietnam+) Mua Thi Tong, Be village, Ta Xua commune said she helped her parents pick tea from the age of 6. Tong said, before each kg of fresh tea sold for 10,000-15,000 VND, and the dried tea sold for 50,000 VND/kg.
Now thanks to new technology applied in tea production, the price of fresh tea has increased to 60,000-70,000 VND/kg and even 120,000-150,000 VND/kg.
Nguyen Thi Tham, Director of the Northwest Tea and Special Products Company Limited, said after recognizing the value of Shan Tuyet tea, she and her husband decided to implement a project to restore and develop the Shan Tuyet tea area in Ta Xua in a bid to build the local tea brand.
With efforts to investing in technology to produce finished tea products, Shanam branded tea has helped promote Shan Tuyet tea product in the domestic market. Now, Shanam tea is not only a well-known brand in the locality, but also a famous product among distinguished guests.
In addition, Shanam green tea was also ranked in the Top One of the world's green tea by the US’s Tea Epicure with a score of 94/100.
Local leaders also realise that this is a valuable raw material area, which can bring long-term livelihoods to local people. Le Van Ky, Chairman of Bac Yen District People's Committee, said that the district has built programmes and projects to support businesses to promote Shanam tea products.
Ky went on to say that the district has planned a material tea planting area of 280ha since 2014 and is coordinating with enterprises to continue to explore natural tea areas. This year, Son La province also planned to spend about 2 billion VND to develop specialty tea of Bac Yen district./.
