Than Uyen Tea: A Cash-earning Crop

About five decades ago, the Than Uyen Military Farm (Than Uyen Tea Company now) mainly grew coffee trees and maize and reared dairy cows and sheep but the economic efficiency was very low. Hence, since 1968, the tea trees were planted in Muong Than Commune on the trial basis where the soil was good for the tea tree. Than Uyen Tea bears typically local taste but generates a high economic value. Then, the tea cultivation area was expanded to thousands of hectares and Than Uyen Tea has made an appearance on the global market.

 

Than Uyen Tea, which was regarded as a poverty eliminator, has become a key industrial crop of this area. In 2006, Than Uyen Tea made good progress in product development. The company applied a synchronous production process to reduce production cost and improve the tea quality. In 2006, the tea bud output rose 8.8 per cent year on year to 498 tonnes, fulfilling 103 per cent of the yearly target. The revenues in the year reached VND30.9 billion, an increase of VND3.3 billion against 2005. At present, the company has 568 employees, who are paid VND1.2 million a month on average, an increase of 20 per cent against 2005. During the harvesting period, the workforce exceeded 2,000 workers.

 

At present, the company is planning to scale up the cultivation area. Besides, it is developing the trademark for Than Uyen Tea. In 2007, Than Uyen Tea Company hopes to export 100 tonnes of dried tea, which will bear the Than Uyen Tea trademark for the first time.
Ngoc Anh