A matcha estate is seen near Qiandao Lake in Chun'an county, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, on April 12. [Photo/IC]

Zhejiang's spring tea harvest is entering its final peak of the season, as the province continues to upgrade its traditional tea industry with new products and stronger export momentum.

In 2025, Zhejiang produced 214,000 metric tons of tea and generated 31.53 billion yuan ($4.62 billion) in output value. The total output value of the full tea industry chain reached 133.9 billion yuan, and is expected to post steady growth this year.

With less than one-tenth of the country's tea plantation area, Zhejiang accounts for more than one-fifth of China's total tea output value. Its 75 tea-producing counties, county-level cities, and districts offer a vivid picture of how the country's traditional tea industry is moving up the value chain.

Anji, Zhejiang's leading tea-producing county in both output value and plantation area, remains the province's top tea hub. Anji white tea, known for its light and delicate taste, has gained popularity among younger consumers and has also been developed into crossover products such as tea beer and tea-based snacks. In 2025, the brand value of Anji white tea reached about 5.85 billion yuan.

Zhejiang has long been China's top tea-exporting province, accounting for about half of the country's green tea exports. In 2025, the province exported 192,000 tons of tea worth 4.28 billion yuan, with green tea making up about 90 percent of the total.

Alongside gunpowder tea, the mainstay of Zhejiang's green tea exports, matcha is emerging as a fast-growing category. In the first two months of this year, Zhejiang's matcha export volume was nearly 10 times that of the same period last year.