How Hainan tea became hot property

Yexian Tea Plantation in Wuzhishan, a region that produces a prized amber brew with a creamy scent (Guo Cheng/Xinhua)

Tea from Hainan has always been lauded as the first spring crop of the Chinese New Year, but it has gained added cachet of late after being identified as a unique variety.

Black tea from the Wuzhishan district of the island province is known for its amber colour and honeyed, creamy aroma. But for much of the 20th century, it was prized simply for its timing. Located in China’s remote south, with a mild climate and rainforest ecosystem, the tea could reach markets up to three months before other regions’ exports.

A tea picker helps bring in the crop at Jinding Tea Plantation near Wuzhishan City (Guo Cheng/Xinhua)

As the first to be picked, tea from Wuzhishan has traditionally been the first out of the country into blends from major overseas brands. Since the 1960s, Hainan black tea has found multiple markets outside China, including the US, Japan, UK, France, Singapore and New Zealand.

The early spring harvest in Wuzhishan alone is projected to reach 211 tonnes and an estimated value of over 100 million yuan (£10.5m). Much of this is a “big leaf” tea made from whole leaves.

In 1985, a broken black tea that blended Hainan and Yunnan big-leaf varieties won a gold medal at the World Black Tea Championships in the UK. This accolade cemented the island’s status as a top tea exporter.

“Wild” tea from Hainan, picked from full-grown trees rather than the usual heavily trimmed bushes, was once sent as a tribute to Ming emperors. It was not until 2024 that the island’s big-leaf tea got its modern acknowledgement, when the Chinese journal Agrobiodiversity identified it as a distinct variant that evolved in Hainan’s fertile rainforests millions of years ago. 

The geography and climate of Hainan are central to the distinctive flavour of its large-leaf tea

This large-leaf variety now has its own classification, Camellia sinensis var assamica “Hainan dayecha”, and a genetic profile with 30 per cent polyphenols and 6 per cent caffeine, making it ideal for roasting into black teas.

That same year, the newly established Hainan Free Trade Port waved off a big-leaf tea shipment weighing nearly ten tonnes to the UK and Nigeria, marking the economic project’s first overseas export. 

Today, Hainan’s indigenous big-leaf tea variety occupies 80 per cent of the island’s 11 square miles of tea plantations, largely in Wuzhishan, Baisha and Qiongzhong. Its premium quality has spurred tea-themed tourism, making plantation visits and spring tea tasting a Chinese New Year activity for visitors.

Tourists at Yexian Tea Plantation in Wuzhishan are welcome to try their hand at tea picking (Guo Cheng/Xinhua)

The discovery of a unique selling point for local tea has propelled the Hainan authorities to launch a series of preservation initiatives. Wuzhishan is piloting a “five-zero” agricultural model – zero hormones, chemical fertilisers, plastic mulch (thin, polyethylene film used to cover soil), pesticides or herbicides. 

The region is also advancing deep-processing technology, which aims to make full use of lower-grade or abundant summer/autumn teas to increase their economic value and reduce waste. Local farms have started experimenting with products that capitalise on the global interest in black tea with milk, rather than green teas. This “black tea-plus” product line includes instant tea, yoghurt, ice cream and jasmine infusions.

Once picked, the next stop for tea leaves is a Hainan State Farms factory (Guo Cheng/Xinhua)

Meanwhile, in neighbouring Baisha, the state farms corporation is investigating ready-to-drink products such as cold-brew concentrates and coconut-infused teas, looking for ways to meet modern tastes.

Capitalising on the global craze for milk tea, the industry is launching a successful “black tea+” product line – including instant tea, yogurt, ice cream, and jasmine infusions.

Baisha is joining the innovation. Companies like Hainan State Farms Baisha Tea Industry Co., Ltd. are developing popular ready-to-drink products such as cold-brew concentrates and coconut-infused teas, creatively meeting modern demands for convenience without compromising on the leaf’s esteemed heritage.