In the past, tea planters used to bring their baskets and bargain with merchants. Now, cooperatives will purchase tea according to the market price, making tea planters easy and happy. An association of farmers’ specialized cooperatives was founded in Yiling District which is the first one in the tea industry in Hubei Province. Through the establishment of the associated fleet, the government looks forward to increasingly raising the farmers’ earnings.

　　It is learned that Hubei Dengcun Green Tea Group launched the association by five farmers’ specialized cooperatives including Dengcun Green Tea specialized cooperative, directly uniting Dengcun in Yiling Area and other eight tea specialized counties, which covers an area of 35,180 mus (23.453 kilometers). At present, 16,200 tea planters of five cooperatives in the association are sitting in one ‘fleet’, sharing information, resources and benefit. They are increasingly improving the organizational degree and bringing tangible economic benefit for themselves. Just during the period of spring tea sales in the market, the tea planters’ income grew by 17% compared with the last year and per capita income increased over 2000 RMB. (Reporter: Long Yizhou)