Winners in the best tea category being recognized during the opening ceremony
The 16th Anhui International Tea Industry Expo was held in Hefei from 5 to 8 May 2023. The provincial arm of the All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives (ACFSMC) played a key role in organizing the expo. The tea expo held under the theme "Anhui Tea Embraces the World" attracted over 700 businesses as well as 2,300 buyers and distributors. The exhibition held on an area of 40,000 m2, was divided into areas that included an exhibition of famous tea products, a tea culture experience area, and an area of tea technology innovation and integration.
Huangshan city is a key tea-production area in China, and Huangshan Mountain in the city is known worldwide for its imposing scenery and massive boulders. The moist clouds that ring Huangshan Mountain form a natural layer of shelter, blocking the sunlight and allowing the tea leaves cultivated there to produce more nitrogen content that gives them their distinctive aroma. The celebrated Huangshan Maofeng, Taiping Houkui and Qimen Black Tea produced in Huangshan have won worldwide popularity and been added to the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
Tea production and processing is an essential business for agricultural cooperatives not only in China but also in major tea-producing countries such as India, Kenya, Sri Lanka and China, where tea has long been a defining feature of the culture. The development of the tea industry in these countries can largely contribute to the growth of farmers’ income, help to improve their lives and lift them out of poverty.
ACFSMC sees strengthening cooperation among cooperatives (C2C) in the tea business as aligned with one of the fundamental principles of the ICA. C2C answers the need for sustainable development by facilitating the sharing of market information and best practices, as well as understanding new technologies. Deeper connections among the cooperatives will allow them to rise up to evolving challenges and work together for a future of common prosperity. ACFSMC invited affiliates of the National Cooperative Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) and the Vietnam Cooperative Alliance (VCA) to the expo.
Delegates from cooperatives from China, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam
Mr. Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director, ICA-AP speaking at the Opening Ceremony said, “Smallholder tea farmers, like any other agricultural producers, face a variety of challenges, including selling tea at the best prices, having poor infrastructure, obtaining affordable inputs (fertilizers and seedlings), lacking technical knowledge and resources to improve the quality of their produce. Collective action through cooperatives can help farmers benefit by helping them access markets and finance, improve existing and build new infrastructure, help in efficiency – downstream and upstream, enhance the farming practices and management of natural resources, provide information and knowledge, and bring voice into the policy processes.”
During their visit to China for the 16th Anhui International Tea Industry Expo, Mr. Iyer and the cooperators also visited some local cooperatives in Feixi County. These were Jinniu Silkworm Farmers’ Professional Cooperative and Anhui Baiyun Chunhao Tea Cooperative.
Feixi County Supply and Marketing Cooperative Association was founded in 1950. It has 8 grassroots central communities, 4 affiliated enterprises, 14 village-level communities and 2 industry associations (agricultural resources and renewable resources). There are 1,100 farmer professional cooperatives in the county which have collective ownership. These cooperatives are involved in a range of business activities from e-commerce to retail and wholesale (hardware, household, textiles, fertilizer), and waste recovery. In 2022, the county supply and marketing cooperative was approved by the national general agency ‘county circulation service network strong county cultivation unit,’ and awarded as part of the provincial and city comprehensive performance appraisal.
Jinniu Silkworm Farmers’ Professional Cooperative
A differently abled person employed by the cooperative overseeing the silkworm center
Feixi County Golden Ox Silkworm Farmers Professional Cooperative was established in 2008. It has 358 members who are involved in silkworm production, harvesting and processing, product sales, and providing technical services. The cooperative's new and old mulberry garden covers an area of 6,300 mu, with annual cultivation of more than 7,000 silkworms and an output of 16 million yuan. It provides employment to more than 100 people and a majority are differently abled. In 2020, the cooperative built a 1016 mu silkworm science and technology demonstration park, 36 silkworm greenhouses, and 15 greenrooms. It has introduced and promoted 3 new leaf mulberry products and registered two brands, ‘Xiaojingzhuang’ and ‘Golden Cow Silkworm.’ In 2013, it won the National Demonstration Farmers Professional Cooperative.
According to Mr. Zhao Qihua, President of the cooperative, the cooperative has helped to bring members out of poverty, provided employment to all sections of society, improved processes to improve efficiency, addressed environmental concerns, and created a brand for itself.
Anhui Baiyun Chunhao Tea Cooperative
The Anhui Baiyun Chunhao Tea Company (ABCTC) is known for producing and promoting Baiyun Chunhao tea, which is a type of high-quality green tea. It was established in November 2010 in Tangchi Town, Lujiang County which is known for its hot spring and tea. ABCTC covers an area of around 53,000 square meters and its asset exceeds 56 million yuan. Its business includes tea planting, processing, marketing and culture (tea tourism). ABCTC has been certified with ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 22000 among others and is listed as Anhui Agricultural Standardization and Demonstration Zone. It was rated as top 100 Enterprises in China's Tea Industry in terms of comprehensive strength by China Tea Industry Circulation Association in 2013.
ABCTC has adopted a model of "company + cooperatives + planting area + tea farmers + Internet" and has taken a development path of large-scale planting, standardized production, brand sales and contract services. The farmers receive support, training, and resources to enhance their tea cultivation techniques and ensure consistent production standards. It provides job opportunities for 400 people, helps local people to increase production and income and injects new vigour into rural revitalization and the local economy.
ABCTC also plays a role in organizing marketing activities, facilitating the tea trade, and promoting Chunhao tea both domestically and internationally. "Baiyun Chunhao" has won the titles of "Anhui Famous Trademark" and "Top Ten Famous Brands of Chinese Hui Tea." Baiyun Chunhao Tea has also been rated as "Anhui Famous Brand Products" and "Anhui Top Ten Famous Tea." It has won numerous awards which include the "Gold Award" at the 3rd China (Anhui) International Tea Industry Expo; the title of "Tea King" at the 6th China (Anhui) International Tea Industry Expo’; "First Prize" at China Tea Cup Competition in 2015; "Gold Award Product" honor in the World Green Tea Appraisal; and the "Gold Award" of the China Characteristic Tourism Commodity Competition in 2020.
School children having hands-on experience plucking tea leaves
The cooperative organizes visits for school children from the province to the tea garden, where they receive education about tea cultivation and the cooperative. Additionally, they have the opportunity to participate in tea leaf plucking and witness the processing of tea leaves at the center.
