The spring tea harvesting and trading season is now at its peak in southern Anhui. In Yunle Town, Jingde County, Xuancheng City, freshly picked tea leaves and initially processed dry tea are neatly displayed in the local tea trading market. Buyers are seen examining samples, inquiring about prices, and negotiating deals, while the sounds of electronic scales settling payments and farmers chatting fill the air. Yunle Town, characterized by its high mountains, dense forests, short sunlight exposure, and frequent fog, offers a unique ecological environment ideal for tea cultivation. The tea produced here is known for its rich aroma, mellow taste, clear liquor, and vibrant color, making the tea industry a vital pillar for local residents' income growth. Visiting the small tea market around Yunle Town, one can find a wide variety of fresh tea leaves, with newly picked leaves appearing tender and lush. "In the past, we had to travel several miles to sell tea, and the price was entirely up to the merchants. Now, the market is right at our doorstep, and town and village officials help coordinate transactions—it's both convenient and reassuring!" a farmer who had just completed a sale said with a smile. This year, the mainstream price for dry spring tea in the town is between 380 and 400 yuan per jin, slightly lower than last year. However, the standardized operation of the trading market has effectively addressed issues such as fragmented sales and weak bargaining power among tea farmers. Around the Qingming Festival each year, buyers from Wuhu, Hefei, Nanjing, and other cities arrive in large numbers. Currently, over 90% of the town's households are engaged in tea processing, and most processed tea is purchased by non-local merchants on the same day, achieving robust production and sales. The market primarily features fixed trading stalls, but outside buyers can also set up scales in concentrated tea farming areas, reducing transaction costs while facilitating trade. To ensure orderly tea trading and promote high-quality development of the tea industry, Yunle Town has implemented multiple measures to support the market. The town's agricultural development center conducts specialized safety inspections at tea processing facilities, thoroughly examining equipment such as tea de-enzyming machines and rolling machines, and addressing electrical and fire hazards. Safety education is also provided, with workers receiving demonstrations on emergency operations to uphold safety standards. The judicial office promotes relevant laws, including the Food Safety Law of the People's Republic of China, within the trading market, and legal advisors offer guidance to protect local tea brands such as Nishan Lanxiang and Jingshan Kuiya. Additionally, the town has fostered tea cultivation cooperatives, adopting a "cooperative + farmer" model to encourage land transfers and local employment, thereby expanding income streams for villagers. Moving forward, Yunle Town plans to further improve market facilities, standardize trading practices, and strengthen brand cultivation to enhance the tea trading market, helping the distinctive fragrance of mountain tea reach beyond southern Anhui to broader markets.
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