Rizhao green tea encounters "growing pains" and industrialization has yet to be solved

After the May Day holiday, Rizhao green tea began to be launched in large quantities. Today, the reporter interviewed some tea companies and tea merchants and learned that this year Rizhao green tea is ushering in a "good harvest year" and the price of tea has dropped slightly. Despite this, there are still many southern green teas being sold under the name Rizhao Green Tea. Many tea companies said that compared with other tea varieties, Rizhao green tea has obviously lower profits and the price has tended to be stable. In order to stabilize prices and ensure tea quality, Rizhao Green Tea has successfully explored agricultural industrialization, but Rizhao Green Tea still encounters some "growing pains" in its development path.

In the "good harvest year", the output increased by 60% and the price dropped by 15%

Jiao Meichen, the person in charge of Jinan Mingchen Tea House, said that due to freezing damage, the production of Rizhao green tea was significantly reduced last year. Tea farmers take protective measures for tea in advance. With the construction of sheds and wind-blocking walls, as well as the relatively stable weather conditions in Rizhao this year, Rizhao green tea production has increased. Song Baiman, chairman of Rizhao Baiman Tea Co., Ltd., said that Rizhao green tea was launched half a month earlier this year than last year, and tea production increased by 60% compared with last year. As output increases, the price of Rizhao green tea drops by about 15%. "At this time last year, a kilogram of fresh leaves cost between 240 and 300 yuan, but this year it has dropped to around 200 yuan."

The price of Rizhao green tea is high and the reputation of southern green tea has been borrowed from it

"Despite the substantial increase in output, Rizhao green tea still cannot meet the national market demand. The current area of ??Rizhao green tea garden is only about 150,000 acres. Although within Shandong Province, Rizhao is one of the top tea-producing areas in Shandong, but looking at the whole country, and Zhejiang Compared with tea-producing areas such as China and Fujian, it is not even as large as a tea-producing area in a county in these provinces, so the output of Rizhao green tea cannot reach as much as other tea varieties, and the market demand is still insufficient," Jiao Meichen said.

Because Rizhao green tea is favored by consumers for its good internal quality, although the output has increased this year and the price has dropped slightly, compared with southern green tea, the price is still much higher. At the Jinan Tea Wholesale Market, the reporter learned that the current price of one kilogram of Rizhao Green Spring Tea is around 1,200 yuan. The price of some southern green tea is even less than 100 yuan per kilogram. The huge market demand and price advantage have led many southern green teas to label themselves "Rizhao Green Tea". "In early April this year, there were shops on the market selling Rizhao green tea. In fact, although Rizhao green tea was launched half a month earlier than last year, it only started to be launched in mid-to-late April." A Rizhao green tea merchant told reporter.

The profit of Rizhao green tea is generally around 15%

Song Baiman introduced that at present, the price of first-grade fresh leaves of Rizhao green spring tea is around 200 yuan/kg, and the price of ordinary fresh leaves is 4.5: The quality ratio of 1 produces dry tea. The cost of one kilogram of dry tea and fresh leaves is 900 yuan. In addition to the daily labor cost of 60-70 yuan for picking tea and the cost of transportation and tea frying, the cost of one kilogram of dry tea alone is about 1,000 yuan. In terms of cost, the price of about 1,200 yuan per kilogram in the Rizhao green spring tea market is not high, and the profit margin is about 15%. Compared with other types of tea that often appear "exorbitantly priced tea", Rizhao Green has been relatively "calm" in recent years. Many people in the industry said that the market mechanism of Rizhao green tea is relatively healthy, and it has something to do with industrialized agricultural production and management.

Few leading companies and low thresholds restrict the development of Rizhao green tea

It is understood that although Rizhao green tea has a small tea-producing area, it is at the forefront of the tea industry in some aspects. In order to realize the industrial development of tea, increase the income of tea farmers and ensure the quality of tea, in recent years, Rizhao City has formed a number of tea production bases and professional cooperatives. Houyaxia Tea Professional Cooperative in Lanshan District, Rizhao City is one of them. The cooperative realizes the industrialization of tea planting and production through tea farmers' shares, dividends, sublease, and equipment leasing. The cooperative currently manages 2,700 acres of tea gardens. It can save hundreds of thousands of yuan every year just in terms of saving agricultural materials and maintaining price stability, while ensuring the stability of tea farmers' income and tea quality to a certain extent.

Song Baiman said: "Although Rizhao Green Tea has achieved gratifying results in industrialization, it should also be noted that Rizhao Green Tea has few leading companies and low market entry barriers." Now Rizhao Green Tea There are many brands, and consumers often cannot tell them apart, which provides opportunities for some counterfeit "Rizhao Green" brands to take advantage of, and it is difficult to guarantee the quality of tea.

"Any area where leading tea companies develop and grow, there must be well-known famous tea brands, which cannot be created by small traders." Song Baiman believes that Rizhao green tea production companies should have at least a QS production license and a registered capital of 3 million. Yuan or above can ensure that the company has the strength to produce qualified products. Although Rizhao currently has a clear definition of green tea production areas, there is a phenomenon that tea produced in some places in Rizhao cannot be called "Rizhao green tea." It is suggested that localities can set standards for the endoplasmic content of tea, so that it may be more objective to define "Rizhao green tea".

The "going out" of tea requires local government support

Although Rizhao green tea is already very famous in Shandong, it is not as famous as "Drink Longjing to West Lake Longjing, Dahongpao to Wuyishan" Compared with the popularity of the concept, Rizhao Green's influence across the country is not so "independent". Many Rizhao tea merchants suggested that the municipal government and agricultural departments should learn from overseas experience in tea promotion activities, overseas exhibitions, overseas direct sales stores, etc., and provide certain subsidies to reduce the burden on tea companies. According to reports, Sichuan tea companies organized a delegation from Sichuan Province to attend the Tea Expo in Macau, and the expenses were supported by the Sichuan Provincial Government. Some major tea-producing provinces even provided rent or decoration subsidies for local companies to open stores in other places.

"Rizhao Green Tea" won the top ten geographical indication trademarks in Shandong Province

"Rizhao Green Tea" won another award! It was shortlisted for the top ten geographical indications in Shandong Province, and ranked third in overall score. In addition, last year, Shandong Rizhao Government applied for 19 geographical indication trademarks, of which 12 have been registered, including "Rizhao Blueberry", "Rizhao Black Fungus" and "Rizhao Shopee".

The "Top Ten Geographical Indication Trademarks of Shandong Province" expert review meeting was held recently, and "Rizhao Green Tea" was finally shortlisted with a good result of ranking third in the comprehensive score. This is the "Rizhao Green Tea" after "China's Well-known Trademarks" Green Tea" has won another honor.

On the 21st, the reporter learned from the Tea Industry Administration Bureau of Donggang District, Rizhao City, Shandong Province that the "Top Ten Geographical Indication Trademarks in Shandong Province" selection event consists of three links: material application, on-site presentation and expert review. Sponsored by Shandong Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce. This selection is very strict. Only those who meet at least 8 conditions including "the product referred to by the trademark has a profound history and culture, a unique and superior production environment, and a distinctive quality" are eligible to apply for the selection.