NZ's only tea plantation goes organic, starts exporting

Master Ming-Hsun Yu at the Zealong tea plantation near Hamilton.

New Zealand's only tea plantation is now certified organic in time to begin exporting its harvest.

Zealong tea maker Vincent Chen made an application to the organic certifying body BioGro, which was approved last week for the three hectare Rototuna farm, just north of Hamilton.

Now into its second commercial harvest, Zealong is now ready to start exporting its tea to the world.

Taiwanese born Chen says his preference for organic tea comes from his passion for drinking 'pure' tea.

Zealong's communications advisor Jeff Howell says despite all the exciting activities related to the launch Chen prefers talk to his plants.

"We've got all this stuff happening but that's what he does, he's always down here pulling a leaf off checking the fundamental quality of the tea."

Howell suspects the next big change in the area may relate to farming becoming increasingly responsive to issues surrounding climate change.

He thinks the Zealong plantation should be rewarded under the Emissions Trading Scheme for operating as "a carbon sink".

"The thing about growing tea in the Waikato is that it's a very different way of using land to what we do around here traditionally, instead of having a whole heap of animals and running it in kind of an intensive way.

"When you'd walk along you'd think 'that's not a farm' but of course it is a farm, and a very productive farm. We should be getting some green credits."

Zealong's deputy general manager Gigi Crawford says despite establishing the plantation in the desired organic way and its entry on the market, the team is only halfway towards recognition as tea growers.

She says the company expects to earn $16m in its first year trading, but this is dependant on the quality of the tea leaves during the propogating process. Economic development associate minister Wayne Mapp attended the launch and says the interest in niche products is increasing despite the economic downturn.

"By focusing on a premium tea - oolong - they are immediately targeting the high-value end of the market [and] because Chinese customers are becoming more affluent, the market for premium products is growing," said Mapp.

Crawford, who is also the company's marketing manager, says the challenge of selling to overseas markets was not taken lightly. She says selling tea to Chinese was difficult because of the traditional expertise they have, similar to those New Zealanders who considered themselves expert winemakers.

This prompted her to adapt the brand's marketing strategy. "The first time we went to China nobody really believed that we really have tea. We had to start by launching here first so that you create awareness for the people [here] to know. "There is 3000 years of tea history in China and you're trying to sell tea to them.

Therefore we have to emphasize we're actually bringing the best of both worlds [together]; the combination with the Asian skill of tea and the pure environment both together to produce this tea." Howell says dedication has contributed to their success.

"You look around and you see the investment and the plans and you see just how well it's growing. No expense has been spared to get this right. "Our challenge is to introduce Zealong to the rest of the world and its a big old world out there."