Chiayi tea farmer Hung Chung-lun wins three awards at the AVPA World Tea Competition in France

The third "World Tea Competition," organized by the French Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products (AVPA), was grandly held in Paris on November 16, 2020. Hung Chung-lun, a tea farmer from Zhuqi Township, Chiayi County, mailed his tea samples to France to compete, and following review by expert judges, he boldly won three awards: gold and silver in the black tea category and bronze in the oolong tea category. Very impressive.

The French "Agency for the Valorization of Agricultural Products" (Agence pour la Valorisation des Produits Agricoles, AVPA) was established in 2005. It is a non-[profit] organization headquartered in France, with members composed of agricultural product industry professionals and taste experts. It has about 1,000 members worldwide and currently holds 4 international competitions, including chocolate, edible oils, coffee and tea.

The third "International Tea Competition" is divided into tea categories (including green tea, white tea, yellow tea, oolong tea, black tea and dark tea, etc.) and herbal tea categories (including herbal teas, blended teas and flower teas, etc.), and offers gold, silver, bronze and special awards.

Hung Chung-lun originally worked in design. In 2015 he returned to his hometown to help grow and make tea. In the process of participating in the tea culture industry, he also integrated what he had learned and his experience of nature into tea art and tea settings. In 2017, he participated in the "12th Chinese Tea Art Award" and won 2nd place nationwide, and won 1st place in the "Cross-Strait Senior Tea Artisan Competition." In 2018, he participated in the "Third Cross-Strait Oriental Tea Setting Competition" and won the silver award. This time was his first time entering an international tea competition with black tea and oolong tea roasted by his own family, and he took home the black tea gold award, black tea silver award and oolong tea bronze award in one go. His strength is not to be underestimated.

The Chiayi County Agriculture Department stated that in response to changes in the consumer market, it is necessary to enhance the market competitiveness of Alishan tea and develop different consumer groups, even international ones. It is very happy to see young tea farmers return to their hometowns to devote themselves to the tea industry and to the promotion and marketing of tea culture, helping Alishan high-mountain tea open up international markets and letting more international consumers see Taiwan's good tea.