The world’s most expensive tea!
In India, the beginning of the morning is considered incomplete without tea. From 10 rupees cutting available at a corner shop to 1000 rupees tea available in a five star hotel, we have tasted a variety of flavors as per our pocket. But consider that tea leaf which costs more than a luxury car or a luxurious bungalow in a posh area. The price of this tea leaf named ‘Da Hong Pao’ produced in China is around Rs 9 crore per kg. This figure is enough to surprise any person with a normal budget. After all, what is the specialty that makes it the most expensive beverage in the world?
‘Rock Tea’ mystery of China’s hills
This premium tea is mainly grown on the rocks of the Wuyi Mountains located in the Fujian province of China. Due to their growth in the crevices of the mountains, these plants get complete nutrition from the natural minerals present there. Due to this special geographical location, it has also been given the status of ‘Rock Tea’ in business language. The huge difference between its demand and supply determines its record breaking price. According to a report in the International Journal of Natural Resources, this is the rarest tea in the world. Its demand in the market can be gauged from the fact that during a global auction held in 2002, only 20 grams of Da Hong Pao tea leaves were auctioned for approximately Rs 26.17 lakh.
Magic leaves that saved the queen’s life
There is a deep historical context behind the economics of this precious tea. Once during the reign of the Ming Dynasty, the Empress fell seriously ill. Then this tea was given to him as a traditional medicine, which miraculously improved his health. In celebration of the queen’s recovery, the emperor covered those special tea plants with red royal clothes. Since then this tea leaf came to be known as ‘Big Red Robe’ or ‘Da Hong Pao’. In China it is still seen as a national asset. According to global tea experts, it has a special kind of aromatic and earthy aroma with mild sweetness. Its distinctive taste remains in the throat long after drinking tea.
The real reason why it is more valuable than gold
The direct rule of commodity market is that the price of any product depends on its limited availability. Exactly the same rule applies in the case of Dr. Hong Pao. At present only six original and hundreds of years old ‘mother bushes’ of this tea are left. To protect this rare natural wealth, armed soldiers are deployed there all the time. In the year 2006, the Chinese government took a strict decision and imposed a complete commercial ban on plucking leaves from these ancient plants. The original Da Hong Pao available in the market today is part of the old inventory. At present, the tea leaves sold in the commercial market are obtained from new plants (clones) developed from the branches of these mother plants. Although these are also quite expensive.
