A farmer shows newly harvested West Lake Longjing Tea leaves in Xihu district, Hangzhou. [Photo/VCG]

The first batch of West Lake Longjing Tea for 2026 was harvested in the Wengjiashan protected area in Xihu district, Hangzhou, on March 17.

Tea pickers collected early spring leaves in accordance with the "one bud, one leaf" standard, the traditional criterion for high-grade Longjing leaves, as the annual harvest season began.

Li Shuizhong, a tea farmer in Wengjiashan, said hand-processed Longjing leaves typically sell for more than 10,000 yuan (about $1,455) per 500 grams, while machine-processed tea is priced between 4,000 yuan and 6,000 yuan per 500 grams.

West Lake Longjing, one of China's best-known green teas, is produced in designated protected areas around West Lake in Hangzhou and is known for its early harvest season and strict grading standards.