Grown at an altitude of 800-1,000 metres above sea level, the Shan tea from Na Hang district in Tuyen Quang province boasts a great flavour and has won the hearts of tea lovers far and wide. The trees also give local people a way out of poverty. Pac Cung hamlet in Thuong Nong commune, Na Hang district, Tuyen Quang province is home to 8 ha of shan tea trees, many of which are from 30 to 36 years old. Their leaves are large and thick and have a strong flavour as the trees are grown at an altitude of 800-1,000 metres above sea level. With four harvests each year and a stable sales price of around 14 USD per kilo, tea trees have become key to the San Chi ethnic minority people in Pac Cung hamlet escaping from poverty. Technical barriers and limited traffic infrastructure, however, still hinder local people from taking full advantage of growing tea. Na Hang district has over 1,100 shan tea trees, cared for by 15 local households along with companies and cooperatives. With a view to providing sustainable incomes by improving quality, local authorities have also been encouraging people to produce tea under standardised processing procedures. In order to sustainably develop the Shan tea areas, Na Hang district has adopted a scheme for developing specialty tea trees in the 2021-2025 period and vision to 2030. The scheme focuses on creating jobs for nearly 5,000 workers through tea processing and trading, increasing local incomes and developing the district’s economy while protecting its ecosystem. (Vietnam Plus)
