Guanshanhu's tea industry drives rural vitalization

Villagers pick tea in Guizhou Baichun Shenque Tea Garden. [Photo/guanshanhu.gov.cn]

In early April, Guizhou Baichun Shenque Tea Garden in Zhuchang town, Guanshanhu district, launched its spring tea-picking season.

Surrounded by misty mountains, the tea garden boasts ideal conditions for cultivating premium teas like "Shenque White Tea" and "Baichun Maojian". Utilizing this natural advantage, Guanshanhu has embraced eco-friendly development by integrating tea tourism and cultural experiences, creating a path that balances environmental protection with economic growth.

Locals like Wang Changju, a resident near the tea fields, have benefited directly. "During the 20-day picking season, I can earn over 3,000 yuan ($410.96) while staying close to my children," she said.

As Guanshanhu advances its "beautiful countryside" initiative, villages like Gaozhai have flourished, with improved infrastructure, rural inns, and agritourism attracting growing numbers of visitors. Sensing the opportunity, Wang also began growing strawberries, earning an additional 30,000 to 40,000 yuan annually.

Meanwhile, the tea garden plans to further invest in the development of new varieties, expand sales channels, and apply new productive technologies.

By making tea a pillar of rural vitalization, Guanshanhu has fostered innovation through eco-planting, digital management, and models like "tea + tourism" and "tea + e-commerce", bringing sustainable prosperity to its communities.