In keeping my eyes open for anything related to tea growing out here, I have noticed a recurring theme: signs that announce this or that tea company produces "organic" tea. I really have to wonder about that. I have seen a lot of Chinese farming and some tea farming first hand, but nothing that would give me the impression that anybody is going out of their way to grow organic.
A more literal translation of the "organic" word is "without environmental pollutants". But as we all know, that really is a little subjective. The locals evidentally do not think throwing plastic bags in the rivers is polluting, but I sure do. So, where is the line drawn for tea? Is it standardized or just a marketing ploy?
I have a had a few entries before (which you could browse through in the tea category) about agricultural organic standards, but nothing about the standards in China. I would love to find out more. Do they have country-wide standards? What are they? Do the local tea producers meet that?
I want to stop short of saying I have personally witnessed pesticides being used on these farms that tout a lack of environmental pollutants. That would mean I would have to clearly locate which land belonged to which company or individual and watched to see if chemicals were used. And I do not have the time or inclination to do so for such a wide area, and as is, only have a collection of observations as I travel around these areas.
However, I have most definitely seen chemicals regularly sprayed on tea bushes. That could well have been on plots of land owned by individuals and not by the organic companies (or co-ops). It is common, though. I can say that with much confidence.
I personally doubt the authenticity of the "organic" claim by some of the local companies, a doubt that could only be cleared up by some specific research into the daily practices of the particular company from which you wanted to buy. If you want organic, and are buying from China, I would take extra measures to check what those producers are actually doing. I only think it would be wise.
I just spent some time with some of the local tea producers tonight chatting and taking photos of them producing tea by hand. That is another story, but one of them did make a comment that verifies my suspicions above: "we have no way of knowing if the tea we buy is organic or uses chemicals."
Now, these particular guys are small, independent folks. They do not claim to be all organic. What I would really like to find out if if those bigger co-ops or companies know any more than this small timers do.
Posted by: Cooper Strange | 2 May 2007 at 01:55