On December 28th in 2017, Hubei Southwest Tea Market Investment Promotion Fair was held in Yuyangguan, the new county in Wufeng. Hosted by Hubei Southwest Tea Market Co., Ltd. and co-organized by Wufeng Tea Industry Association, this fair has gathered nearly 200 tea farmers and tea merchants from Songyang, Suichang and Jinhua in Zhejiang province by the Yuyang River to investigate the construction and operation of the tea market. About 57 tea merchants have reached entry intentions with the tea market, and 50 have paid the deposits on the scene. All this has set the tone for Wufeng to establish the first tea trade complex.

　　Hubei Southwest Tea Market is the key project introduced by Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County and is invested by Zhejiang Zhenan Tea Market Co., Ltd. The total area of the market is 83,517 square meters and its construction area is 111,083 square meters, including such function blocks as Tea Trade Core Area, Wufeng Famous Tea International Exhibition Area, Logistics Center, Commercial Supporting Area along the Street, Life Supporting Area, etc. It holds almost 300 tea trading shops, 5000 plus trading booths and 389 parking spaces, with the total planned investment 0.35 billion. The first phase of the project will start up in February 2017 and will be put into use in March 2018.

　　Why is Wufeng chosen as the building location of Southwest Tea Market? Song Huoxing, Chairman of the board in Hubei Southwestern Tea Market Co., Ltd. said that the tea there is prolific and high-qualified under the good climate and ecology and both the county Party committee and county government put a high value on this industry. When completed, the market can radiate Hubei, Hunan and Yungui. All this is the main reason why the company chose Wufeng.

　　Tea is the leading industry in Wufeng. By far, the total area of the tea plantation in Wufeng has reached 0.21 million mu with tea yield 20 thousand ton. The agricultural output of tea has attained 0.92 billion and the comprehensive output value amounted to 2.3 billion. Wufeng, therefore, has received many honorary titles such as “Hometown of Chinese Tea”, “Major Tea-producing County in China”, “Top Ten Eco-tea Producing County” and “Top Ten Charming Hometown of Tea” in succession. In 2017, it had been selected as one of the first batch of the pilot county for constructing “National Tea Park”. At present, there are 135,000 farmers growing tea in the whole county with an income of 4,500 yuan per capita.

　　“Hubei Southwest Tea Market is about to be completed. It is a great, joyous and grand event for 135,000 tea farmers in Wufeng.” Zhang Chengxie, the director of Agricultural Bureau in Wufeng Tujia Autonomous County claimed in the Investment Promotion Fair that Agricultural Bureau, as the competent department of tea, will vigorously construct tea standardization base, build the highland for the quality and safety of tea products in China. Besides, they will enhance technological training of tea producing, coordinate market services and try their best to propel the development of Hubei Southwest Tea Market. Meanwhile, such departments as National Taxation Bureau, Local Taxation Bureau, Administration for Industry and Commerce, Food and Drug Administration and the Ministry of Public Security in this county all declared based on their own practice that they will support the construction of the tea market wholeheartedly, serve the tea merchants for their entry so as to create favorable business environment for the tea market.

　　“Since the county Party committee and the county government in Wufeng have attached great importance to the tea market, it now has a large scale, including not only the shops, but also warehouses and parking lots as its supporting facilities. All this makes it convenient for storage, packing and transportation.” After the visit for the first phase project of Hubei Southwest Tea Market, Tao Liuping, one of the tea merchant from Jinhua, Zhejiang exclaimed that “It is worth entering since the planning concept is advanced and supporting facilities are perfect.”

　　“Based on the construction of the tea market, we will carry forward the supply-side structural reform of the tea industry, accelerate its upgrading and transformation, strive to create the national green food base county, and make efforts to build the national demonstration area of famous tea brand.” Wan Hong, the head of Wufeng Tujia Autonomous county said in the Investment Promotion Fair that they will take advantage of building Hubei Southwest Tea Trade Market to form the modern tea industry systems, further integrate tea and tourism, actively participate in “The Belt and Road Initiative” strategy and the market competition in the Free Trade Zone so as to form a great development pattern integrating regional logistics, e-commerce, headquarters base, export processing, theme park, special towns and cultural communication into a whole. They will work hard to achieve the total value of more than 6 billion yuan in the tea industry within three to five years. Song Huoxing said with conviction that “Farmers in Wufeng will be sure to cast off poverty and become better off relying on the tea industry.”（Correspondent Wang Dengfu）