Need to preserve ancient Shan Tuyet tea in Ba Thuoc

Some households in the buffer zone communes and in Pu Luong Nature Reserve (Ba Thuoc) still preserve dozens of Shan Tuyet tea trees about 30 to 40 years old, which are considered valuable genetic resources that need to be preserved and developed.

The remaining Shan Tuyet tea trees are being cared for and protected by the people of Leo village, Thanh Lam commune (Ba Thuoc).

In Leo village, Thanh Lam commune, there are currently 5 Shan Tuyet tea trees that are over 30 years old. The tea trees are over 20cm in diameter, over 3m high with many layers of white mold covering their entire bodies. According to the elderly, Shan Tuyet tea trees have existed in this area for a long time. Many years ago, the ancient tea trees here were not cared for and protected by the people, so the number of tea trees remaining today is very small. Mr. Ha Van Vuong, the owner of 3 Shan Tuyet tea trees, said: Previously, these tea trees grew near the traffic road, when the road was expanded, the family moved them into the garden to take care of and protect them. According to Mr. Vuong, Shan Tuyet tea buds are quite large, the tea leaves are thick, and the surface is covered with a layer of white fluff like snow, so people call it snow tea. Notably, this tea variety cannot be grown in the lowlands, it can only be grown at an altitude of over 1,000m above sea level. With an altitude of 1,700m above sea level, Pu Luong Nature Reserve is very suitable for Shan Tuyet tea to grow. With the characteristics of year-round cloud cover, high humidity and cool, fresh climate, Shan Tuyet tea here has a very light astringent taste and a long-lasting sweet aftertaste.

According to a survey by the Thanh Hoa Forest Protection Department, there are currently about 31 ancient Shan Tuyet tea trees in Ba Thuoc district, with an average root diameter of 15 - 25cm, and an average age of about 30 - 40 years or more. The most are in Thanh Lam commune with 5 trees and Thanh Son commune with 11 trees, the rest are scattered on special-use land in Pu Luong Nature Reserve with about 15 trees. Currently, the use and development of the value of Shan Tuyet tea trees here is still only small-scale and spontaneous by households. While Shan Tuyet tea is a valuable crop, it is included in the list of crops banned from export in Appendix I, Decree 94/2019/ND-CP dated December 13, 2019 of the Government detailing a number of articles of the Law on Cultivation on plant varieties and cultivation. Therefore, the preservation and protection of these ancient tea trees is very necessary to preserve the precious genetic roots, as well as to serve the economic and tourism development of the locality. Therefore, to preserve and develop the Shan Tuyet tea tree, the relevant sectors of the province and Ba Thuoc district need to have measures and plan the Shan Tuyet tea growing areas in Thanh Lam and Thanh Son communes and in the Pu Luong Nature Reserve to combine the ecological landscape and traditional culture of the Thai and Muong ethnic groups here to develop tourism. In the immediate future, Ba Thuoc district is interested in supporting and encouraging people to protect and care for existing tea trees and develop new tea planting areas. At the same time, train and guide people on techniques for caring for, harvesting and promoting and introducing Shan Tuyet tea products to tourists visiting Pu Luong.

Mr. Bui Hai Duong, Secretary of the Party Committee of Thanh Lam Commune (Ba Thuoc), said: Shan Tuyet tea is a familiar product, closely associated with the lives of the ethnic people here. Currently, there is no conservation and development project of the superior agencies, so the locality has proactively coordinated with families to protect and care for the existing trees. Along with that, the commune requires villages and hamlets to conduct surveys, determine the quantity and area of ​​ancient tea trees remaining in people's houses to have a protection plan. The locality also hopes that relevant sectors of the province will soon research, survey and have a plan to preserve and develop Shan Tuyet tea here. Shan Tuyet tea not only brings high economic value but also creates a typical local agricultural product, has many competitive advantages as well as serves tourism development.

Article and photos: Le Hoi

Source: https://baothanhhoa.vn/can-bao-ton-che-shan-tuyet-co-thu-o-ba-thuoc-218675.htm