Kaiyang welcomes spring tea harvest

The Meishiqi, Lanzhi, and Yaoyuan tea gardens in Nanlong township, Kaiyang county, opened on March 3 for the 2026 spring tea harvest.

Workers busily pick tea leaves in a tea garden. [Photo/WeChat account of Kaiyang county]

Meishiqi Tea Garden operates year-round tea picking, creating high labor demand across various stages, such as harvesting and maintenance. The garden spans over 500 mu (33.33 hectares) and has achieved large-scale cultivation through land leasing.

It primarily produces black and green teas, adhering to an order-based production and market-oriented supply model, with its products sold in regions including Fujian, Zhejiang, and Shandong provinces, and its annual sales volume exceeding 300 metric tons.

The company integrates varieties like Jin Mudan and Jin Guanyin with the "shaking green" process (a fine manipulation of green tea leaves) to continually expand its industrial chain and diversify its product offerings.

Kaiyang's total tea plantation area has reached 68,600 mu this year, with all tea gardens in the county in full picking mode by March 10. For the first quarter of this year, the county's spring tea production is expected to reach 195 tons, with an estimated output value of approximately 156 million yuan ($22.72 million). The annual production is projected to be around 3,000 tons.