Thailand Black Tea
Thai tea has become increasingly popular in recent years. The mountainous areas in the north of the country, mainly the provinces of Chang Rai and Chang Mai, are among the areas where the native wild tea tree known as var.assamica grows. It played an important role in the daily life of the tribes of northern Thailand. As a cultural plant it has been used in many ways, as a drink, food and medicine. However, it was not until the second half of the 20th century that tea became more widely used commercially in Thailand. The first attempts at systematic tea cultivation in Thailand began during the Second World War, when seeds were imported from China.
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After the civil war was lost in 1949, Kuomintang supporters and party members retreated from China to the northern border areas. As in Taiwan, they bring with them the skill of growing and processing tea plants. In many places in the mountainous areas, tea plantations are being established and the tea industry is developing rapidly. In the 1970s, the Thai government began to encourage the planting and cultivation of tea trees as an alternative to the widespread cultivation of poppies for opium production.Today, the Thai tea industry continues to research, experiment and innovate. Farms are striving to improve tea growing, processing and presentation techniques to compete internationally. Tea is an important agricultural and commercial commodity here. Especially in the areas of Doi Ang Khang, Doi Mae Salong, Baan Rak Thai and Doi Tung, it is the main source of livelihood for local farmers.