New Taipei Honey-Scented Black Tea Competition Results Announced: Farmer Zhou Pingguo of Sanxia District Wins First Place

(Taiwan TB News Network / Reporter Sun Yaozhang) The results of the 110th year New Taipei Good Tea Honey-Scented Black Tea Competition are out, and the champion is farmer Zhou Pingguo of Sanxia District. The Agriculture Bureau said that New Taipei honey-scented black tea gives off a unique honey-like sweet aroma. After the green leafhopper sucks on tender tea leaves (commonly known as "zhuo xian"), it transforms into a mysterious natural flavor, and it can be brewed for both cold and hot drinks. The public is invited to enthusiastically purchase from the production area and taste the good honey-scented tea.

The Agriculture Bureau said that the Zhou family began tea cultivation in 1879, and by the seventh generation, Zhou Pingguo, who returned from military service and has formally worked in the tea industry for nearly 30 years, grew up in a tea garden from childhood and learned planting, harvesting, and tea-making from his father. In the 87th year of the Republic of China, he founded the "Risheng Tea Making" business, with tea products including Biluochun, black tea, white tea, and more, as well as cultivating Taiwan's only tea variety, Dahongpao, and Yiyecha. During the spring tea season, he also regularly goes to central Taiwan to make high-mountain oolong tea, learning tea-making techniques from different regions and integrating them. From picking, withering, to fixation, the tea-making process is done entirely without borrowing others' hands. He upholds the craftsman spirit of "only act when action is possible, only stir-fry when stir-frying is possible," and if one is going to do it, one must give it one's all with patience and persistence.

Currently, the tea garden area is about 0.7 hectares. Since last year, no pesticides have been used. Because the tea garden's location is not easily accessible by vehicle, he began shifting to wild-grown tea and managing the tea garden in a friendly way, wanting to carve out a distinctive feature for this industry. In addition, he proactively sends tea leaves for inspection, taking into account modern public food safety, and continues to move forward for the sustainable operation of the tea industry, embarking together on a secret journey of seeking tea.

Zhang Yongju, secretary-general of the Sanxia District Farmers' Association, said that this evaluation was led by tea experts including Qiu Chuifeng, deputy director of the Tea Research and Extension Station of the Council of Agriculture, Executive Yuan, and Su Yanshuo, director of the Wenshan Branch Station. Honey-scented black tea is mainly made from tea leaves picked from small-leaf tea trees as raw material, and more than 90% is hand-picked, so the harvested amount is very small. After careful production and roasting by experienced tea masters, it gives off a light natural fruity aroma and honey aroma. With a completely pesticide-free management approach, the public can choose honey-scented black tea full of craftsman warmth and friendly production, a tea product that absolutely must not be missed.

The Agriculture Bureau pointed out that during the epidemic prevention period, various measures were coordinated, with judges kept 1.5 m apart during evaluation, and the evaluation results were presented via online livestream. This honey-scented black tea evaluation had 270 entries participating. New Taipei City checks at the source and implements the "Tea Clear Plan," conducting pesticide residue testing during the competition to protect consumers' health and safety. Choosing "New Taipei Good Tea" competition tea is a double guarantee of peace of mind and safety.
           The results of the New Taipei Honey-Scented Black Tea Competition are out, and the champion is farmer Zhou Pingguo of Sanxia District. (Provided by the New Taipei Agriculture Bureau)