Spring and winter are the two seasons that yield the finest quality Taiwanese tea. Due to factors such as sunlight, temperature, rainfall, and monsoons, the yield and flavor of the tea differ between these two seasons, which in turn affects the pricing of spring and winter teas. Winter tea from the exact same tea garden is priced higher than spring tea. Below, we explain the factors influencing spring and winter tea prices, as well as the reasons why winter tea costs more.
Factors Influencing Spring and Winter Tea Prices
Spring tea receives more rainfall, and because the tea trees have rested for over half a year, its yield is the highest among the spring, autumn, and winter seasons. Taking high mountain tea as an example, spring tea accounts for about 40-50% of the annual yield. Winter tea, due to less rainfall, shorter daylight hours, and lower temperatures, has the lowest yield of the three seasons, accounting for only about 20-30% of the yearly total. Therefore, yield is a major factor affecting spring and winter tea prices, and the primary reason why winter tea is more expensive.
Another reason is cost. Various costs for winter tea—including fertilizer, factory equipment, and management expenses—are on par with or even higher than those for spring tea. With a reduced yield, the average cost per unit of winter tea is higher than that of spring tea. Additionally, because the yield of winter tea is lower, picking efficiency is reduced, and tea factories must offer higher wages to attract tea pickers.
Price Gap Between Spring and Winter Tea
The reasons why winter tea is more expensive can generally be summarized by the two points above. Plain-area tea has a higher yield, so the price fluctuation between spring and winter tea is smaller, around NT$20 to NT$50 per 600 g. Due to lower yields in high mountain tea, there is a cost difference of NT$100 per 600 g between spring and winter tea. At higher altitudes, winter tea can even be NT$200 more expensive per 600 g than spring tea.