Yibin Morning Tea

Yibin Morning Tea

Yibin Morning Tea is a Geographical Indication Certification Trademark.

Yibin Morning Tea is also a Geographical Indication Agricultural Product.

　　Chinese Morning Tea: Yibin Leads the Way

　　Yibin has a long and storied history of tea cultivation dating back to 1022 BC, with records mentioning “fragrant tea gardens” and “tribute tea,” making it over 3,000 years old. Additionally, Yibin is one of Sichuan Province’s primary tea-producing regions and the largest morning tea production base in China.

　　Geographic Advantages of Yibin Morning Tea

　　Yibin enjoys uniquely favorable geographical conditions, offering optimal climate and soil for tea growth. Tea here can typically be harvested and marketed as early as early February, about 15–30 days ahead of other major tea-producing areas in the province and regions like Jiangsu and Zhejiang, making it one of the most suitable zones for high-quality ecological early tea.

　　Early tea bases are distributed across all nine counties and one district of Yibin at elevations below 700 meters, primarily in areas along the Jinsha River, Min River, Yangtze River, and their tributary valleys within the same elevation range in districts such as Cuiping, Yibin County, Gao County, Junlian County, Gong County, and Jiang’an County. The total area spans 150,000 mu, including 100,000 mu of clonal high-quality tea gardens.

　　Overview of Yibin’s Tea Industry

　　In 2009, Yibin had 560,000 mu of tea plantations, producing a total of 25,000 tons of tea. The agricultural output value of tea reached 710 million yuan, with a comprehensive tea industry output value of 3.23 billion yuan.

　　In 2010, Yibin produced 10,200 tons of premium early tea, with the fresh leaf value of early tea reaching 540 million yuan and the comprehensive output value hitting 980 million yuan—both record highs. The industry showed strong momentum in both production and sales, with significant breakthroughs in tea exports. Tea’s role in supporting agricultural industrialization became evident, and Yibin emerged as the largest early tea production base in the province and even the nation.

　　Currently, Yibin is home to nearly 800 early tea processing enterprises, with an annual processing capacity exceeding 20,000 tons. Among them, 241 have a processing capacity of 50 tons or more, 7 exceed 1,000 tons, and 2 surpass 3,000 tons. There is 1 national-level and Sichuan provincial-level key leading enterprise in agricultural industrialization, 14 municipal-level leading enterprises, 1 enterprise with a tea industry output value close to 300 million yuan, and another close to 100 million yuan. The city also hosts over a thousand tea houses and teahouses of various sizes. Products from tea companies such as Xufu, Xingshi, Jinye, and Longhu Cui have earned 31 Green Food certifications, 8 brands have received Pollution-Free Agricultural Product certifications, and 3 brands have achieved Organic Tea certifications. Over 20 products—including “Chuanhong” black tea and “Xufu Longya”—have won international and national gold awards multiple times. The city’s key tea industry leaders currently own 1 “China Well-Known Trademark” (“Xufu” brand), 4 “Sichuan Famous Trademarks,” 3 “Sichuan Famous Products,” and “Xufu Longya” is recognized as one of the “Top Ten Teas of Sichuan.”

　　Honors of Yibin Morning Tea

　　In 2009, the China Tea Marketing Association awarded Yibin the title of “Hometown of Chinese Morning Tea.” Additionally, “Yibin Morning Tea” received geographical indication certification from the Ministry of Agriculture.

　　On March 10, 2010, during the Yibin Morning Tea Festival tasting event held at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing, the “Xufu Longya” tea produced by Sichuan Xufu Tea Co., Ltd. under the “Xufu” brand was designated as the official tea of the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse.

　　Geographic Scope

　　Yibin Morning Tea is produced in 123 towns and 991 natural villages across 9 counties and 1 district in Yibin City, Sichuan Province—including Pingshan County, Yibin County, Gao County, Junlian County, Jiang’an County, Gong County, Changning County, Nanxi County, Xingwen County, and Cuiping District. Located in central and low-altitude tea-growing areas under 600 meters in elevation, these regions are among the most suitable for high-quality ecological early tea. Yibin City lies in the southernmost part of Sichuan Province, at the confluence of the Jinsha, Min, and Yangtze rivers, between 27°50’–29°16’ north latitude and 103°36’–105°20’ east longitude. The protected area for Yibin Morning Tea spans 20,000 hectares, with an annual yield of 10,000 tons.