Customer Inquiry: People are selling Baihao Yinzhen on the market—is it produced in Taiwan? Does Taiwan produce Baihao Yinzhen tea?
Does Taiwan Produce Baihao Yinzhen Tea?
Yes, but the yield is extremely low. Baihao Yinzhen can only be made from the first-harvested spring tea, using exclusively the leaf buds, making the production process extremely difficult. A tea picker can harvest less than 300 g in a single day, resulting in very high costs. Generally, tea factories only produce small batches for personal use or exclusively for regular customers.
Why is Baihao Yinzhen Production So Low in Taiwan?
- Picking only the leaf buds is extremely tedious, and tea pickers are less willing to harvest them.
- If the first-flush spring tea is used to make Baihao Yinzhen, it can no longer be used to make Oolong tea afterwards.
- Even if Baihao Yinzhen made from first-flush spring tea is sold at NT$8,000 per 600 g, the profit is still lower than making Oolong tea.
Where Do the Baihao Yinzhen on the Market Come From?
Aside from a tiny amount of locally produced Taiwanese Baihao Yinzhen, the majority is produced in Mainland China and enters Taiwan through transshipment or private channels.
Where Can You Buy Local Baihao Yinzhen in Taiwan?
Currently, tea factories in Sanxia District, New Taipei City, Pinglin District, as well as Zhushan Township and Mingjian Township in Nantou County, all produce white tea, but mostly Bai Mudan and Gongmei. If you want to buy Taiwanese-produced Baihao Yinzhen, pre-ordering from these tea factories is the best approach, though the price for first-harvest spring tea will be quite high. If you don’t specifically insist on the pre-Qingming first harvest, you can also choose Ershui or summer teas, which are much lower in price.