Pingnan’s green tea goes to America

( chinadaily.com.cn )

Updated: 2014-07-11

Green tea from a tea garden in Guanyang village, Pingnan county, Fujian province, got approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to be exported to America.

Guo Xueyi, owner of the tea garden, is 67 years old. He came from Beijing to Guanyang village and established the tea garden 10 years ago. The tea garden is surrounded by wetland, stream and forest. Guanyang village is 900 meters above sea level, and has a big temperature difference between day and night, which is best for growing green tea.

Guo Xueyi introduces his green tea to a local official.

Americans set strict standards for food, and Guo Xueyi said that there were two factors for his tea gaining favor in America. One is that the tea is without pesticides. The other is that catechin content in the tea is almost twice the normal level. And the vitamin C content in the tea is 100 times the level of an American tangerine.

Guo Xueyi has two plans for the development of his tea garden. First, he is planning to build a green tea capsule processing factory in Pingnan and make the tea available in the domestic market. Second, he plans to turn the tea garden into a resort. Last year, 100 older people from all over China came to the garden, and more visitors are expected to spend their holidays in the garden this year.

The tea garden has provided many jobs for local residents, and working in the tea garden can pay better than farming. There is a highway under construction across the tea garden, which will provide more convenience and bring more opportunities.