| China is the world’s largest tea producer and consumer.Tea production has become a pillar industry in many counties in the south and is one of the most important ways for poverty-stricken areas to become rich.The correct analysis of the characteristics and influencing factors of China’s tea production distribution can provide an important basis for the scientific development of the tea industry.According to the survey of 408 tea-producing counties across the country issued by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2014,this paper starts from counties,analyzes the characteristics of the country’s tea production distribution.According to relevant theories,the influencing factors and the logic are explored,and empirical testing is conducted through spatial econometric models.The main viewpoints include:First,the distribution pattern of tea production in China has changed significantly.Tea production has shifted from the eastern plains to the western mountainous regions,and from the economically developed eastern regions to the undeveloped western regions.However,the tea plantation area and the distribution of tea yields are in an opposite pattern.With the advantages of resource endowment,the western production area has expanded rapidly.The eastern producing areas have a better market environment and technical level,and the highest level of tea yield is achieved.Secondly,the tea production distribution is affected by resource endowments,social economy,market environment and other factors.Mountain resources,agricultural labor force,market size,relative income of tea,enterpriseization and specialization of tea production,and agricultural technology level all influence the location conditions and producers’ behavioral decisions,ultimately affect the tea production distribution.Thirdly,according to the spatial autocorrelation coefficient,there is a significant spatial interaction and agglomeration between the tea production counties.The empirical test finds that:mountain resources are the main reason for "Eastern Tea Westward";agricultural technology has the most significant impact in the middle and weste;market size,relative income,and production enterprise level also have a significant positive impact;different from the resource-oriented type in the middle and west,the tea production in the easte is consumption-oriented.,the higher income and consumption levels,the greater the tea production.Based on the above conclusions,we should strengthen the protection of land resources,rationally plan tea plantation area;attach importance to technological innovation and popularization,increase the tea yield per unit;improve the tea market environment,and increase the enthusiasm of tea farmers;vigorously support leading enterprises and achieve the scale management of tea production;take advantage of the interregional influence of tea production to achieve overall improvement. |
