An aerial view of Jingmai Mountain, a major Pu'er tea-production area in Yunnan province.[Photo provided to China Daily]

Most people in Banzhang and nearby villages have moved into large villas. Today, they enjoy paved roads, electricity and clean water.

Li Xiangrong says he didn't have to worry about his tea reaching the market during the pandemic.

Kunming Colorful Yunnan King-Shine Tea Industry Co bought all 110 kilograms he produced for 12,000 yuan a kilogram. Sales were paused in February and resumed in March.

The company has spent more than 50 million yuan purchasing tea from villages in Yunnan.

"We must help (tea farmers) as much as we can, even if we face difficulties," company founder Ren Huaican says.

Ren started the company in 2006 to fully tap the local tea industry's potential and increase local incomes after he discovered that nearly 10 million local people were involved in the business.

Tea output has also been affected by droughts in some plantation regions in Xishuangbanna earlier this year.

Ren's company didn't reduce its procurements of tea from villagers and bought it at the same price as before.

"The pandemic has hampered tea sales but will surely increase demand for healthy products, including premium tea," Li Wenshun says.

The drought seems to have somehow added flavor to the leaves, he says.

King-Shine has stepped up online sales and expanded support for its marketing partners nationwide.

"We'll open more offline tasting events for our partners this year to enable more people to better understand authentic tea from ancient trees," Li Wenshun says.

"Things will be better later."