Plateau tea becomes cash cow for farmers

XINING -- In mid-summer, farmers in Padma county are busy picking tender leaves from two varieties of cherry-apple trees, which only grow at an altitude of between 3,000 and 3,500 meters, to make "Tibetan snow tea."

Padma, located in Golog Tibetan autonomous prefecture of Northwest China's Qinghai province, is home to these two tree species, Malus transitoria and Malus toringoides. Their leaves are processed to make the special tea that is believed to boast heat-clearing, detoxifying and anti-dyspepsia properties.

In 2015, a tea company was established in Padma, with 18 million yuan (about $2.57 million) invested by many parties including the local government, integrating the planting, producing, processing and marketing of the snow tea. Since then, it has been promoting the brand of "Padma Tibetan Snow Tea" nationwide.