In the Chinese province Fujian companies can not export tea anymore due to the sharpened European regulations on pesticides residues. The export of tea is very important for Fujian but insect control with a few products is not simple. Researchers of Wageningen UR cooperate with Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (FAFU) in the city of Fuzhou and the Tea Research Institute of the Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences to start a project covering an integrated crop protection system in tea growing. Among the focal points of the project are a balanced application of products, alternatives for chemical control, and knowledge transfer, in particular to small and medium-sized farmers.
In the second week of September Kees Booij and Piet Boonekamp visited Fujian. Besides research organizations, tea companies and demonstration fields they also visited the China International Fair for Investment and Trade in Xiamen. The first official step for the tea project was made during this CIFIT. Amid great public interest Piet Boonekamp and Jiang Qindong of the Agricultural Department of Fujian signed a letter of intent.