Highland communes at the foot of the Tay Con Linh range such as Thanh Thuy, Cao Bo, Lao Chai (Tuyen Quang) are entering the main Shan Tuyet spring tea crop. On the ancient tea hills hundreds of years old, people of the Dao and Tay ethnic groups... diligently pick each young tea bud, creating a bustling working atmosphere in the mountains and forests.
The spring tea crop usually starts from March to the end of May - the time when tea plants grow strongly, giving high-quality young buds with rich flavors. This is the most important crop of the year, bringing both output and high economic value.
Cao Bo commune has more than 820ha of Shan Tuyet tea, of which over 757ha are being harvested. Many ancient tea trees have been recognized as Vietnamese heritage trees. From natural exploitation, people have switched to care and harvesting according to standards, considering tea as the main source of livelihood.
According to VNA, Mr. Nguyen Van Duong - Chairman of Cao Bo Commune People's Committee said that Shan Tuyet tea trees bring clear results, helping many households escape poverty and gradually stabilize their lives. The locality continues to develop tea in the direction of commodities, associated with building brands. Tea hills not only create livelihoods but also contribute to preserving land, preserving forests, and stabilizing border populations.
Ms. Ban Thi Hom shared: "My family has been attached to tea trees for many years. Thanks to Shan Tuyet tea being priced well, and having a stable purchasing cooperative, life is less difficult. Each spring tea crop brings in a decent income.
In recent years, communes at the foot of Tay Con Linh have promoted production linkages. People participate in cooperative groups, cooperatives, and receive technical support to improve product quality.
Cooperatives play an important role in improving product value. Many Shan Tuyet tea products achieve OCOP 3 stars at the provincial level, with output from several hundred kilograms to tons of dried tea each year, gradually expanding the market.
Mr. Dang Van Hau - representative of Tra Peng Cooperative (Thanh Thuy) - said: "People are technically supported, products are uniform, sold at good prices, and income is more stable.
The model of linking people - cooperatives - businesses has shown clear effectiveness. Products are consumed with stable prices, commonly from 300,000 - 700,000 VND/kg, many specialty tea lines over 1 million VND/kg.
According to artisan Trang Van Nhui (Tham Ve village, Cao Bo commune), previously tea was mainly sold fresh, so the value was low, now focusing on processing, the value has increased, and people are assured to stick with it for a long time.
From practical effectiveness, Shan Tuyet tea has become a sustainable livelihood for people in mountainous areas. Many households have incomes of tens to hundreds of millions of VND per year, and some establishments achieve revenue of over 1 billion VND. Not only helping to reduce poverty, tea plants also contribute to keeping people attached to the land and protecting the border area.
Therefore, the spring tea crop is not only a harvest season but also opens up a sustainable economic development direction for communes at the foot of the Tay Con Linh range.
