From Tea Garden To Cup

China’s Tea Sustainability Report

Publication

W. Chen

1 January 2009

Drinking tea has become part of life for many people. Only secondary to drinking water in the world, tea has become even more popular than coffee. However, most people have no idea of tea production process from processing, blending, packaging, transportation and sale, as well as the major players involved in this process that spans agriculture, industry and retail, let alone the impact of tea consumption and production upon the tea growers and workers’ lives. In this project, our primary focus is on the tea growers. In China, each tea growing household occupies 2 to 3 mu (1 mu=667 sq m) tea farm. Their average income is only half of average income of farmers. Low income has made tea growing lose its attraction. Younger generations prefer seeking employment in cities than staying home growing tea.