Recently, Yichang Government has issued Implementation Opinions on Accelerating the Development of Black Tea Industry to Make Tea Industry Bigger and Stronger. To meet market demand for consumption, the relevant administration will boom black tea on the basis of improving green tea and seek for the common development of special kinds of tea such as dark tea, yellow tea, white tea, etc., thus achieving a comprehensive upgrading of Yichang tea industry.
　　Yichang is the core origin of YiHong Tea. The city will focus on Yichang Black Tea and YiHong Gongfu Tea, and attach much importance to three ecological black tea counties (districts): Yidu, Wufeng and Yiling, including 30 towns like Caihua Town and Yuyangguan Town in Wufeng Autonomous County, Dengcun Town and Taipingxi Town in Yiling District, Wangjiafan Town and Panjiawan Tujia Town in Yidu City. 20 leading enterprises of black tea, 200 specialized cooperatives and 2,000 processing plants will be cultivated.
　　In principle, each 500-1,000 mu (30-60 hectares) of tea gardens shares a primary processing plant and every 10,000 mu(600 hectares) enjoys a refining processing plant. In 2016, the output of black tea will double in Yichang, up to 25,000 tons. The output value of black tea will quadruple, reaching 1.6 billion RMB. The income of tea growers will double. The average income of each mu of fresh leaves will attain 6,000 RMB. The comprehensive output value in tea industry will reach 10 billion RMB.
　　Yichang tea will not only occupy the domestic market, but explore the international market. The government encourages local enterprises to register trademarks and establish marketing networks abroad. The authority will combine tea with tourism by supporting the construction of tea cultural leisure parks which integrate green ecology, brand display and tourism, and of specialized villages in tea ecology, culture and folk tourism. It will promote the common development of tea culture and tourist industry. The Opinions makes it clear that the municipal financial department will invest annually 10 million RMB as agriculture-related fund into black tea industry for three successive years. The fund will be mainly used for the cultivation and promotion of public brand, programs for science and technology development, building a platform for e-business and information service, green prevention and control of tea diseases and insect pests, etc. (Reporter: Zhao Wei, Correspondent: Tang Zhiyun)