Digital integration boosts industry’s progress

A major tea-producing area in Southwest China’s Sichuan province, Wangcang county in Guangyuan city has embraced technology within tea planting and production, leveraging digital advancements to enhance output, increase farmers’ income, and boost profits for related enterprises.

As the spring season arrives and temperatures warm up in March, the tea harvesting season commences, with tea farmers in Sanhe village, Mumeng town, diligently preparing for the spring tea harvest.
The county has implemented a data platform to offer robust technical support for the growth of tea farmers and businesses.

"In the past, tea cultivation relied on traditional methods. Now, with the integration of high-tech tools such as the intelligent platform, pest monitoring stations, and soil moisture monitoring, we have gained more scientific assurances and confidence for tea production and management, " said Shi Yiliang, a member of the Longshan village tea cooperative in Mumeng.

These cutting-edge facilities have been deployed across all major tea parks in Wangcang, monitoring real-time data on climate, soil conditions, and tea growth across 250,000 mu (16,667 hectares) of the county’s tea plantations. Through terminal operations, full-cycle scientific data can be accessed, offering precise support for tea management, production, processing, and cultivation planning.

"We leverage big data, the internet of things, and intelligent tools to visualize the entire tea industry chain,” said Ren Yong, deputy director of the Wangcang tea industry technology research institute.

“By harnessing data, we deliver efficient services to government agencies, tea farmers, and consumers, optimizing planting management, production processing, product traceability, and meeting customer demands," Ren noted.
Recognizing that technological innovation is pivotal for industry progress, Sichuan Micangshan Tea Group, a prominent tea enterprise in Wangcang, has adopted automated tea production lines. This year, the group’s processing plant in Wangcang’s Sanjiang town aims to handle around 30 percent of the county's spring tea production tasks.

“Our plant currently operates three production lines, with an annual processing capacity of 3,000 metric tons,” said He Duoxi, the plant manager.
In addition to advancing processing technologies, the plant has diversified its product development approach. “We not only produce yellow, green, and black tea but have introduced technology for dark tea production, creating a range of products like brick tea and mini tea cakes to expand tea farmers’ summer and autumn production channels," He added.

The processing plant has mastered the production technology for 24 tea varieties, witnessing an annual improvement in tea quality and substantial brand benefits, securing a significant market share.

Wangcang is intensifying efforts to establish a digital tea processing base, aiming to implement digital management systems for tea companies and achieve seamless integration of production, supply, and marketing.
This year, the county anticipates that total tea production will surpass 9,200 tons, with a comprehensive output value exceeding 8 billion yuan ($1.1 billion).

In terms of talent support, Wangcang has established a mechanism supported by tea research institutions from various universities, including the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, the Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Southwest University, and Sichuan Agricultural University, along with over 3,900 tea and agricultural operating entities.

Ren affirmed that Wangcang will persist in focusing on tea variety breeding and promoting digital empowerment, propelling the development of new quality productive forces within the tea industry.