Enhancing the value of tea trees and tea culture: Requirements from practice

As a “specialty” plant, tea and tea products have affirmed their position and economic role and created the brand of “the first famous tea” of Thai Nguyen. However, the province’s tea industry has not yet fully exploited the potential, advantages, and value of tea plants and the quintessence of tea culture.

Leaders of Samsung Vietnam Company in Thai Nguyen and Bac Ninh experience tea hills in Hoang Nong commune (Dai Tu).

In response to current development requirements, the Provincial Party Committee issued Resolution No. 11/NQ-TU dated February 3, 2025 on tea industry development for the 2025-2030 period (Resolution No. 11). This continues to affirm the Party's leadership, promoting the combined strength of the political system, the active participation of enterprises, cooperatives and people, to enhance the value of tea trees and tea culture.

Thai Nguyen has very favorable soil and climate conditions suitable for tea to grow and develop, becoming a key crop. In recent years, all levels and sectors of the province have paid attention to leading and directing the synchronous and effective implementation of tasks and solutions to promote the development of the tea industry and achieved many important achievements.

Thai Nguyen has become the province with the largest area, productivity, output, and income value from tea trees in the country, with over 22,200 hectares, 193 tea products certified by OCOP from 3-5 stars, the value of tea products reaching 13.8 trillion VND.

Thai Nguyen tea makers have produced many high-quality tea products, and tea trees are increasingly playing an important role in agricultural production as well as socio-economic development in general. Tea, a poverty-reducing plant, has helped thousands of farming households become rich; hundreds of enterprises and cooperatives have prospered from tea and tea products.

Tourists visit and experience tea hills in Hoang Nong commune (Dai Tu).

In recent years, the province and some localities have organized many cultural activities and events to honor tea. The brand of “the first famous tea” of Thai Nguyen has also become increasingly famous in the international arena.

However, Thai Nguyen has not yet fully exploited the potential, advantages and value of tea trees. The province's tea industry still has limitations such as: Household production accounts for a large proportion; the production scale of cooperatives and enterprises is still small; the connection between enterprises, cooperatives and households is not tight. The application of science and technology in production and processing is still limited. Products are not diverse and rich, there are not many deeply processed products, mainly traditional green tea products.

The connection, promotion of production, processing, business and tea culture to consolidate and enhance the brand and production efficiency is still slow to receive attention... Therefore, Resolution 11 will overcome the above limitations, bringing tea trees and tea products to a new, higher level of value.

The goal set out in Resolution No. 11 is to develop the tea industry in association with restructuring the agricultural sector towards sustainability, modernity, improving quality and added value; promoting safe production associated with deep processing, diversifying products, rapidly increasing the proportion of high-quality, high-value products; attracting investment, promoting chain production, applying science, technology, innovation, digital transformation in production, processing and business; preserving and promoting cultural and historical values, contributing to enhancing the value and brand of Thai Nguyen tea in the direction of integrating the multi-value of tea; promoting consumption, export and sustainable connection with the global agricultural value chain. Striving for the total value of products obtained from tea trees to reach 25 trillion VND by 2030.

Thai Nguyen farmers harvest tea.

Accordingly, Resolution No. 11 also sets out tasks and solutions, and directs and assigns tasks to Party committees, advisory agencies, and socio-political organizations to implement. It emphasizes the Party's leadership and direction in developing production, processing, and trading, and enhancing the value of the tea industry.

Along with that is reviewing and perfecting the planning of production areas; focusing on applying science and technology in tea production and processing; consolidating and enhancing the brand associated with advertising, trade promotion, and consumption of tea products... Another important task is to preserve and enhance the tangible and intangible cultural values ​​of Thai Nguyen tea.

Along with developing tea trees and tea products, the province also focuses on developing tea culture and art. Pioneering in this issue, Chien Cong Industrial and Transport Cooperative has proposed a plan to develop tea culture and tea art in Thai Nguyen in 2025.

Accordingly, the Cooperative continues to coordinate with departments, branches and localities to open training courses to improve knowledge about tea culture; exchange and develop tea culture and the art of enjoying Thai Nguyen tea for producers, processors, traders, cooperatives, tea villages and officials, relevant state management agencies in the province.

Thai Nguyen City organizes tea picking competition in Tan Cuong tea region. Photo: Contributor

The Cooperative also proposed infrastructure investment plans in famous places for delicious tea in terms of transportation, landscape construction, planning of model tea gardens, tea room systems, sightseeing routes, shopping, product introduction and other support services... This unit is committed to accompanying and closely coordinating with the provincial authorities as well as being ready to provide financial support to organize the implementation of the plan to develop Thai Nguyen tea culture.

Attending and speaking at the program reporting and proposing the plan to develop tea culture and the art of enjoying tea in Thai Nguyen organized by Chien Cong Industrial and Transport Cooperative on February 5, comrade Trinh Viet Hung, alternate member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, welcomed and supported the unit's approach.

Here, the Provincial Party Secretary continued to emphasize the role and significance of Resolution No. 11, and at the same time requested that Party committees from the province to the grassroots level, and socio-political organizations must develop resolutions and action programs for leadership and implementation; develop mechanisms and policies to create a favorable environment for the development of the tea industry.

Mr. Nguyen Van Thuy, in Luu Quang 5 hamlet, Minh Tien commune (Dai Tu), next to a hundred-year-old tea tree on Bong mountain. Photo: QT

He also particularly emphasized the need to turn the ancient tea tree population in Minh Tien Commune (Dai Tu) into a heritage tree of Vietnam to preserve, care for and promote its value. In addition, the Provincial Party Secretary requested to step up propaganda work, promptly report on localities, units, collectives, individuals who have done well, and typical models for replication...

Mr. Pham Tan Cong, Chairman of the Vietnam Federation of Commerce and Industry, affirmed: The Federation will always accompany Thai Nguyen to promote the image and tea culture to the business community and entrepreneurs domestically and internationally...

Journalist and tea artisan Hoang Anh Suong also proposed to the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee to create a tea-drinking space at the workplace, which would also serve as a place to introduce and promote tea trees and tea culture to guests when they come to work. The artisan is also willing to act as a "bridge" for large tourism and travel companies to work with the province, thereby connecting world-famous businessmen and billionaires to the province and Thai Nguyen, creating opportunities for Thai Nguyen tea to reach new heights of value.

In reality, Resolution No. 11 continues to affirm the province’s high political determination towards the tea industry. This is a driving force and a push for Thai Nguyen tea trees and tea culture to “rise” to a new height.

Resolution No. 11 sets out specific goals by 2030:

- The total tea area of ​​the province is about 24,500 hectares; the output of fresh tea buds reaches over 300,000 tons.

- 70% of tea growing area is certified for production according to GAP and organic standards; growing area codes are issued.

- 100% of facilities producing, processing and trading tea and tea products ensure food safety regulations.

- 100% of enterprises and cooperatives with tea material areas apply digital technology in cultivation and chain management.

- There are at least 250 tea products that meet OCOP 3-5 stars, of which at least 6 tea products meet OCOP 5-star standards.

- 100% of tea and tea products are e-commerce on digital platforms.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/kinh-te/202502/nang-tam-gia-tri-cay-che-van-hoa-trayeu-cau-tu-thuc-tien-3170ebc/