Bio-Tour

Organic Tea Journey: Discovering Organic Tea Village in Northern Taiwan

Introduction

Taiwan’s tea industry, with an annual production value of NTD 8 billion, is an important economic crop and is known worldwide for its high quality. The area of organic tea in Taiwan has grown to 550 hectares in the past 5 years, an increase of 42% from 2018. Taiwan is one of the few countries in the world with such a wide range of tea varieties and exquisite craftsmanship. In the global tea market, Taiwan’s tea occupies a particularly important position and potential.

This case is located in the production area of the representative specialty tea of Northern Taiwan – Pouchong Tea. The cases of Pure-Spring tea at Pinglin show that the Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation, as a consulting intermediary organization, to advise farmers to switch to organic tea and to actively promote ecological development in the fields, to advocate responsible production and consumption, and to encourage farmers to pay attention to water quality and farmland ecology in the tea production process. The project team also invested in the construction of a specialized organic tea processing plant and obtained Taiwan’s first organic tea processing plant certification, which led to an increase in the local organic farming area and further attracted other extension teams and brands.

In recent years, Pure-Spring Tea Plant has refined its tea-making techniques and become a winner in Taiwan’s national organic tea competitions and consumer evaluations, and has continued to operate and cultivate consumers. This case shows that through the value chain of farming, processing and sales, we have deeply cultivated the organic farming industry to realize the true environmental sustainability.

Detailed Information   

Main Topics

Crop Cultivation, Processing, Retail and Marketing Industry, Biovidersity

This bio-tour showcases Taiwan’s most important cash crop, tea. This case is located in the most important tea producing area in northern Taiwan with over 100 years of history, and is also located in the upstream of a reservoir catchment area. The use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers has raised concerns about the local ecology and the safety of water quality in the reservoir. 

The project team has been advising local tea farmers to switch to organic farming for more than 10 years, resulting in the growth of the local organic tea industry. The high value-added and sophisticated agriculture has demonstrated how to take care of the conservation animals (Emerald green treefrog (Z. prasinatus) and the safety of drinking water in the process of cultivation, and has shown an attitude of responsible production, demonstrating how organic agriculture can be a viable way to mitigate the balance.

During the day, we will visit Taiwan’s first certified tea processing plant and see how Taiwan’s organic tea is grown, processed, and finished on site, allowing members to experience firsthand how organic Taiwanese tea is made and tasted. During this trip, we will learn more about Taiwan’s high-quality organic agricultural products.

Exchange of experience in organic agro-processing industry chain, networking of overseas organic traders, farmland biodiversity and habitat conservation.

  • For insurance purposes, participants will be required to upload a copy of their passport during the registration process.
  • For registration, if you speak English, please select the English language interface at the bottom left corner of the registration page.

Itinerary 

1 December 2024
TimeAgendaLocation
09:00Arrive at Nangang MRT StationEast side, Map
09:00-09:30Go to Pinglin
09:30-10:30Organic Tea Farm Tour
10:30-11:00Introducing PureSpring tea
11:00-12:00Experience Tea Production Process
12:00-13:30Organic Vegetarian Meal & Rooftop Scenery
13:30-14:30Tea Tasting & Interaction
14:30-16:00Visit to Pinglin Tea Museum
16:00-16:40Return to Nangang StationMap
Participants can take high-speed rail at Nangang Station to Chiayi Station to attend OWC, recommended to take train after 17:00
Key Info

Dates:
1 December 2024
09:00 – 16:40 (GMT+8)

Organized by:
Tse-Xin Organic Agriculture Foundation, Taiwan

Format:
English

Target Audience:
Organic processors, ecologists, traders and participants interested in Taiwan’s organic tea production area or taste are all welcome!
Minimum participants: 20 participants
Maximum participants: 40 participants

Registration Fee:
NT$1800 per person, including Organic Vegetarian Lunch, Guide Fee, DIY & Souvenirs, Transportation, Tickets & Insurance 

Registration Dates:
Deadline: 15 November 2024 00:00(GMT+8)