Najie Early Tea

Najie Early Tea

Najie Early Tea is a geographical indication certification trademark.

Najie Early Tea is a geographical indication product for agricultural products.

　　Najie boasts uniquely favorable natural and geographical conditions: located between the hilly and low-mountainous areas on the southern edge of the Sichuan Basin, it enjoys a subtropical humid monsoon climate with an average annual temperature of 18.3°C, annual rainfall of 1184 mm, and annual sunshine duration of 1172 hours—making the agricultural climate highly suitable for tea cultivation. Especially during early spring from January to March, the average temperature here is higher than that of central, northern, and eastern parts of the Sichuan Basin, making it the region with the earliest tea bud sprouting at the same latitude globally. Najie is the most suitable area for developing premium early tea.

　　Historical records indicate that in Lu Yu’s Classic of Tea, it is noted that “the following eight prefectures south of Jian’nan were all tea-producing regions: Pengzhou, Jinzhou, Shuzhou, Qiongzhou, Meizhou, Yazhou, Luzhou, and Hanzhou…” and also mentions “tea is produced in Meiling, Najie.”

　　Leveraging its unique geographical and climatic advantages, Najie District has in recent years adopted a strategy of “prioritizing strengths” to develop its tea industry. It has introduced a number of premium varieties such as Fuxuan No. 9, Fuding Dabai Tea, Wuniu Zao, and Pingyang Tezao, and established production bases for premium tea as well as a base for propagating clonal tea seedlings. By 2011, the tea-growing area in Najie had reached 150,000 mu, total production hit 4,188 tons, and the comprehensive output value of tea reached 450 million yuan. The number of tea processing enterprises in the district increased to 40, featuring well-known tea brands such as Luzhou Fengyu (a national brand product) and Han Yuan Organic Tea (a provincial premium agricultural product). In terms of tea-growing area, output, and output value, Najie District ranks first in Luzhou City. The early tea industry has become the most advantageous specialty agricultural industry and pillar industry of Najie. In December 2011, the geographical indication protection for Najie Early Tea was approved by the Ministry of Agriculture, further enhancing the grade and value of Najie Early Tea.

　　Najie Early Tea

　　Geographic Scope

　　The production area of Najie Early Tea is located in Najie District, Luzhou City, Sichuan Province. The protected agricultural geographical indication area includes 176 villages across 12 towns in Najie District: Dadukou, Huguo, Dagu, Shangma, Hemian, Fengle, Baijie, Tianxian, Mianhuapo, Xinle, Quba, and Longche. It borders Hejiang County to the east, Xuyong County to the south, Jiang’an County to the west, and Jiangyang District of Luzhou City to the north. The geographical coordinates are 105°09′–105°37′ east longitude and 28°02′14″–28°26′53″ north latitude, spanning 41 km from east to west and 46 km from north to south. The protected area covers 20,000 hectares, with an annual output of 25,000 tons.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　(1) External Sensory Features: Najie Early Tea has a flat and straight appearance, with yellow-green color and hidden downy fuzz, uniform and neat. The liquor is bright yellow-green, the aroma is rich and lasting with chestnut notes, the taste is fresh, mellow, and refreshing, and the leaf bottom is yellow-green, uniform, and bright. (2) Internal Quality Indicators: Water extract ≥42%, tea polyphenols ≥16%, and abundant amino acids. (3) Safety Requirements: Najie Early Tea complies with the Standards for Pollution-Free Tea (NY5244-2004). Tea sales packaging labels should comply with GB7718 regulations, indicating the product name, grade, net content, producer’s name and address, production date, shelf life, and product standard code. Packaging materials should meet food hygiene requirements—they must be dry, clean, non-toxic, odorless, not affect the quality of the tea, and the packaging should be sturdy, moisture-proof, tidy, and capable of protecting the tea quality. Transport vehicles should be clean, dry, odorless, and unpolluted; transportation should prevent moisture, rain, and exposure to strong sunlight; loading and unloading should be done gently, and mixing with toxic, odorous, or easily contaminating items is strictly prohibited. Products should be stored in dedicated warehouses that are clean, dry, cool, and free from foreign odors, with no surrounding pollution.