Where is the "blockage" of the mechanization of my country's tea industry?

Since the beginning of spring, with the repeated occurrence of the new crown pneumonia epidemic in many parts of the country, the problem of "labor shortage" in tea this spring is particularly prominent.

The labor cost of famous tea exceeds 80%

"The tea industry is still a highly labor-intensive industry in China,

The tea industry, as a characteristic industry, a rich industry, and a pillar industry of rural revitalization in nearly 20 tea-producing provinces and regions, is still dominated by the primary processing of tea (including the primary processing and finishing of traditional tea), that is, the processing of fresh tea leaves as raw materials.

Famous tea is mainly processed from the tender and uniform buds and leaves in spring.

"At present, the degree of mechanization of China's tea industry can be said to be only preliminary mechanization

From the perspective of the entire production sequence, the mechanization of the tea industry can be divided into tea garden management, fresh leaf harvesting, primary processing, finishing, reprocessing and deep processing

Form requirements increase the difficulty of mechanization

"There are deep reasons behind the 'labor shortage' problem

Tang Xiaolin analyzed that in the long history, the Chinese people have formed the characteristics of consumption that pays too much attention to the quality of tea, and they all require that they be refined with even, tender and complete buds and leaves.

Tang Xiaolin said that there is currently no suitable mechanical energy to pick even, tender and complete tea buds and leaves, at least under the current technological conditions, it is difficult to industrialize

New quality evaluation standards need to be established

"To completely get rid of the problem of 'labor shortage', the tea industry must change and adjust the inherent concept of product quality, so that tea can return to its attributes as an ordinary and healthy beverage

From a scientific point of view, people drink tea because tea is rich in healthy chemical components and nutrients, and the amount of water leaching substances determines the drinking value of tea

Tang Xiaolin further explained that the quality evaluation standard is the baton of product structure adjustment

　　So, how to promote product structure adjustment? Tang Xiaolin said that the adjustment of product structure should take into account both personalization and scale

　　At the same time, industry public opinion and industrial policies should pay attention to guidance, do a good job of forward-looking thinking, overall planning and strategic layout, and scientific research institutes should strengthen the research and development of new products, new processes, new technologies, and new equipment, and finally build a new tea industry standard.

　　Taking Japan as an example, in the 1970s, mechanized tea picking in Japan was basically popularized; in the early 1990s, a statistical survey in Japan on 6 major tea-producing counties showed that the spring tea picking rate was over 80%, and the summer tea picking rate was over 80%.

　　"China's tea industry can promote mechanization like other crops

　　(Source: Tea Weekly)

　　"China Food News" (May 05, 2022 Edition 07)

　　(Editor in charge: Yuan Guofeng)