Using Zheng'an as an example, poverty-stricken farmers across the country are all expected to develop their own GI brands as a way to improve livelihoods, which is in line with the central government's latest policy of doubling people's income by 2020, said Liu Zheng, editor-in-chief of China Techan Bao, a national newspaper. Liu is also the deputy director of the national committee for the promotion of special agricultural products in China.

Liu Jian, former agricultural minister, said that Zheng'an, the State poverty alleviation county, has made a breakthrough in bailing its poor farmers out of poverty by vigorously developing local agricultural advantages. It has approved that without developing manufacturing, the local government can help rural people find a more environmental friendly way to improve their income.

Zheng'an white tea can generate an income of 1.2 million yuan per hectare, five to six times higher than what a hectare of corn yields.

Eyeing the great market potential, Zheng'an Tianci Biotech Co has signed an agreement with the Zheng'an government to invest 500 million yuan over the next three years to build a white tea industry in the county, said Song Linrong of the company.

Song said the agreement includes a research and development center, a quality inspection center, a technical training center, a 30,000-square-meter white tea processing factory, and a 2,000-ton tea cold storage facility.

The project, set up in October, is expected to have an annual dried white tea output of 5,000 tons by 2015, which is estimated to have a value of about 400 million yuan, Song said.

Contact the reporter at wuyunhe@chinadaily.com.cn