The center's 3,000-square-meter headquarters was destroyed in the quake, but a new headquarters has now been built. Other facilities including roads, irrigation ditches and tea producing bases were also built to aid the industry.

White tea enters tea picking season in east China

Amazing view of tea fields in NW China

Dozens of workers are now picking in the fields, chatting and laughing as they work.

"You may write in your paper that we workers need to be better paid," said Ren Xiaoyan, who has been picking tea for more than 10 years. She earns about 100 yuan a day during the season, which lasts from March to May.

At the foot of the Mengding mountain in Mingshan district, a newly built tea market covering 80,000 sq m will go into full use in the second half of the year. Some local tea makers have moved into the traditional-style stores.

Ye Longze, general manager of Mengdingshan Tea Market, said the market will represent 5,000 tea makers from the Mengding tea producing area. Trade volume is expected to reach 25 million kilos, about half that of the entire Mengding tea-producing area.

"The market will benefit the tea farmers by attracting more dealers and keeping a proper and steady price," Ye said.

He said the market will also help promote the Mengding tea brand. Mengding tea, with a history of 2,000 years, has been offered to emperors from the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907) until 1911, when China's monarchy ended.