Rural Guizhou county turns big matcha player

GUIYANG — In Jiangkou county, nestled in Southwest China's mountainous Guizhou province, a centuries-old tea tradition is fueling a modern global boom. Last year, the county's matcha sales exceeded 1,200 metric tons with an output value surpassing 300 million yuan ($41.7 million), while its products have been exported to overseas markets including Japan, the United States and France.

As a major matcha-producing country, China is poised to produce over 5,000 tons of matcha this year.

Notably, Guizhou, leveraging its high-altitude tea farms, low latitude and misty climate, accounts for a quarter of China's national output and exports to more than 40 countries and regions. Jiangkou, located at the foot of Fanjing Mountain, a UNESCO World Nature Heritage Site, was once a poverty-stricken area but is now a pioneer in matcha production. This turnaround began in 2017, when cutting-edge matcha industrial technology was introduced to this area.