PARIS — The saviour of Vietnamese tea has won hearts at the first International Gourmet Tea Competition “Teas of the World” recently held by the Agency for the Valorisation of Agricultural Products (AVPA) in Paris, France.

Rizote tea from the northern province of Thái Nguyên, a locality famous for green tea, won the silver award, and the Carosa of Tây Côn Lĩnh Cooperative in the northern mountainous province of Hà Giang brought the home bronze award. 

Another product from the Tây Côn Lĩnh Cooperative - Latchi Tây Côn Lĩnh, along with  Oolong Oflora Mộc Châu, and Oolong Ceriso Mộc Châu originating from the northern mountainous province of Sơn La, received the Gourmet awards. 

The northern localities have been touted as a cradle of Vietnamese tea, and tea products from the region are highly valued in the European market, according to Barbara Dufrene, former secretary general of the EU Tea Committee.

 The AVPA Tea Competition is unique in its kind, based on gastronomic rather than standardised refereeing, seeking a striking rather than consensual sensory profile.

This is the first time that an independent body in a consumer country has promoted the good practices of production and trade.

 Receiving international tea prizes will help Vietnamese tea to affirm its reputation on the international area.

 Last year, Việt Nam’s tea exports to the European Union surged 24.55 per cent in volume and 40 per cent in value, with exports to Germany posting the strongest growth of 82.9 per cent in volume and 169 per cent in value.

This is a positive signal for the tea industry in Việt Nam, particularly since the 500-million-population EU market comprises of high-income economies, where consumers want more than just low prices. — VNS