An aerial view of a garden situated in Xiangheng village, Longuan township, Haishu district, Ningbo. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A ceremony marking the start of the tea harvest season was staged in Xiangheng village, Longuan township, Haishu district, Ningbo on March 7. 

The ceremony, in its third edition this year, marked the arrival of spring tea harvest season in the district.

Spring tea is not only fresh and fragrant, but also rich in nutrients, said Yang Jinliang, general manager of Ningbo Wulongtan Tea Co Ltd.

Due to the warmer climate, the harvest season for spring tea arrived earlier than previous years.

The quality is still excellent despite tea leaves being thinner and smaller than previous years due to the drought and low temperatures last winter, according to Yang.

Official data shows that the tea plantation in Haishu district this year spans roughly 20,000 mu (1,333.3 hectares), of which about 10,000 mu can be picked. 

There are a total of 13 varieties of tea trees, including Wuniuzao, Yingshuang, and Baiyeyihao. The output of spring tea in the district is estimated to be at 18 metric tons this year.