Tea farmers have been busy picking and processing Tie Guanyin leaves recently in Anxi county, East China's Fujian province. Tie Guanyin, a renowned variety of oolong tea, originates from Anxi.

The tea leaves that are picked before Cold Dew, the 17th solar term of the year (the traditional Chinese lunar calendar divides the year into 24 solar terms), that begins on Oct 8 and ends on Oct 22, are said to have the highest quality.

Tie Guanyin is famous for its orchid-like fragrance and the mellow and fresh taste. It has been registered as international trademarks in 35 countries and regions, including Russia, Ukraine and Japan.

With years of development, the tea industry has become the biggest pillar industry in Anxi, with around 70 percent of its population working in it.

Anxi has 600,000 mu (40,000 hectares) of tea gardens, achieving an annual output of 68,000 tons of tea and a total value of 16 billion yuan ($2.3 billion).

Anxi tea has been sold to 63 countries and regions around the world, with an annual export volume of 16,000 tons.