Henan's tea exports reach a record high in March

Henan's tea exports reach a record high in March

3月份河南省出口茶叶及茶制品货值创新高

信阳毛尖香飘海外

"Even before the spring tea of this year was available, it has already caught the eye of foreign buyers." On April 4, in the warehouse of Zhongyu Huadu Co., Ltd., Fang Cheng, the foreign trade manager, supervised the workers as they packed boxes of "Xinyang Maojian" green tea for shipment. "A few days ago, a Nigerian client received our fast-tracked tea sample and remarked that the fragrance was even fresher and more intense than last year's. They immediately placed an order, and today, the goods are already on shelves in local supermarkets," he said with excitement.

“今年的春茶还没上市，就被国外客商盯上了。”4月4日，中豫华都有限公司的仓库里，外贸负责人方成正带着工人将一箱箱贴着“信阳毛尖”绿茶标签的茶叶装车发货。“前些天，尼日利亚客户收到我们加急寄的样茶，反馈说茶香比去年更鲜浓，当即下了一笔订单，今天这笔订单已经进入当地商超了。”他的语气里透着兴奋。

In recent years, as Chinese tea culture spreads worldwide, many foreigners have developed a fondness for this distinct Chinese flavor, driving a steady rise in demand for Chinese tea in international markets. Teas from Henan, such as Xinyang Maojian and Tongbai Yuye, known for their attractive appearance, subtle fragrance, and fresh taste, have become cherished spring gifts for foreign tea enthusiasts and Henan natives living overseas. According to reports, in the first three months of this year, Zhengzhou Customs oversaw the export of green tea, flower tea, and tea beverages worth 710 million yuan, marking a 97.3% year-on-year increase.

近年来，随着中国茶文化香飘海外，不少老外也爱上了这份中国味道，国外市场对中国茶叶的需求量持续走高。因形美、香幽、味鲜且采摘窗口期短，信阳毛尖、桐柏玉叶等河南茶也成为众多国外茶客和豫籍游子心中不可替代的春之馈赠。据了解，今年前三个月，郑州海关共监管出口绿茶、花茶、茶饮品7.1亿元，同比增长97.3%。

"Xinyang Maojian is one of China's top ten teas, and every year, over 95% of the province's tea and tea product exports come from Xinyang," said a staff member from Xinyang Customs, which is under the jurisdiction of Zhengzhou Customs. According to statistics, in the first quarter of this year, Xinyang Customs oversaw the export of  tea and tea products worth 31.68 million yuan, with  March alone setting a new record at 18.15 million yuan. The range of export products has also expanded beyond traditional loose-leaf tea, including over 10 innovative items such as small packaged tea, tea bags, and liquid tea.

“信阳毛尖是中国十大名茶之一，每年信阳市监管出口茶叶及茶制品占全省该品类出口总量的95%以上。”郑州海关所属信阳海关有关负责人说，据统计，今年一季度，信阳海关共监管出口茶叶及茶制品3168.2万元，其中3月单月出口货值达创新高的1815.5万元；出口品类也从传统散装茶扩展至小包装、袋泡茶、液态茶等10余种新潮茶产品。

"Delays pose the biggest challenge to tea exports, especially for pre-Qingming tea. A single day's delay in harvesting and shipping will affect its color, aroma, and flavor," said Fang, the foreign trade manager at Henan Chenlong Tea Co., Ltd. He acknowledged that exporting tea was once an unthinkable goal. "With the support of Xinyang Customs, our company has obtained several certifications, including HACCP, and we now monitor each production step in real time to ensure that each tea leaf has a clear and traceable record. Additionally, we've implemented customized customs clearance solutions, and with services like appointment-based inspections, we've achieved on-time exports, allowing our tea to reach international markets while still fresh."

“茶叶出口最怕延误，尤其是明前茶，晚一天采摘发货色香味都会打折。”河南辰龙茶叶有限公司外贸负责人方经理坦言，曾经茶叶“出海”是不敢想的事儿。“在信阳海关指导下，公司完成了HACCP等多项认证，对生产环节实时监控，保证每片茶叶的成长档案清晰可查。此外，我们还拥有量身定制的通关方案，叠加预约查检等实现了出口‘零等待’，让我们出口的茶叶‘抢鲜’登陆国际市场。”他说。

"The success of Xinyang Maojian in overseas markets isn't just about racing against time, but about the strict quality control and adherence to international planting standards," said Zhang Jianguo, a tea farmer from the organic tea garden in Dongjiahe Town, Shihe District, as he reviewed the "EU Pesticide Residue Regulations " on his phone. "In the past, fertilization was based on experience, but now even the leaf fertilizer formulas have set standards." He added with a smile, "There are many steps in the tea export process, but the goal remains the same: to ensure international customers trust the product and reduce the risk of returns and financial losses." Currently, 61 tea companies and 8 registered bases with a total of 14,000 acres in Xinyang have all adopted standardized practices for inputs such as pesticides, significantly minimizing the risk of export returns.

不单和时间赛跑，信阳毛尖俏销海外的关键更在于严格把控品质、对标国际种植标准。“以前施肥靠经验，现在连叶面肥配方都有标准要求。”浉河区董家河镇有机茶园内，茶农张建国正用手机查看《欧盟农残新规解读》，他笑着说，“茶叶出口的门道很多，但宗旨只有一条：让国外客户更放心，减少退货赔钱的概率。”据了解，当前信阳61家出口备案茶企和8家1.4万亩备案基地均实现了农药等投入品规范操作，最大程度降低出口退货风险。（中文来源/河南日报 记者/王歌 编译/杨佳欣 审校/丁岚 赵汉青）