Bought by origin name in Russian and North American specialty channels, where the plucking standard sets the grade.
White Tea — origin and process footage Editorial tea-country and processing footage from Fujian. Asset provenance is recorded in the asset log; no ownership of a garden or plant is claimed.
- OriginFuding (Ningde) and Zhenghe (Nanping), Fujian
- RelationshipFujian-origin line — producer and relationship confirmed per quotation
- GradesBai Hao Yin Zhen, Bai Mu Dan, Gong Mei, Shou Mei
- Moisture≤ 7.0%
- HS heading0902.20
- Principal marketsRussia, United States, Japan
- Specification sheetPDF · Printable page
Tea knowledge
How does it taste, and what can it realistically do?
White tea is defined by gentle processing and a quiet cup, not by miracle claims. Here is how to taste it and use it well.
Liquor
Pale apricot#E4D9A0
HS 0902.20
Fujian-origin line
What white tea grades does ODM Tea export?
ODM Tea exports four Fujian white tea grades — Bai Hao Yin Zhen, Bai Mu Dan, Gong Mei and Shou Mei — from Fuding in Ningde and Zhenghe in Nanping, Fujian. White tea is withered and dried without rolling or fixation, so grade is set almost entirely by plucking standard. White tea is the category where plucking standard, not processing, sets the grade — which is why the grade ladder is worth reading before ordering.
Origin: Fuding (Ningde) and Zhenghe (Nanping), Fujian. The producing party is named in the quotation.
What are the grades?
White Tea is offered in 4 grades. The grade fixes the make; the contract fixes moisture, residue standard, screen and packing. Quoting a grade code without those four clauses leaves the price-relevant variables undefined.
| Grade | English trade name | Pluck / origin | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bai Hao Yin Zhen | Silver Needle | Single unopened bud | Highest grade; silver down intact. |
| Bai Mu Dan | White Peony | One bud, one to two leaves | The volume grade for export. |
| Gong Mei | Tribute Eyebrow | One bud, two to three leaves | Fuller body, lower cost per kg. |
| Shou Mei | Longevity Eyebrow | Mature leaf, later plucking | Presses well into cakes; ages. |
What does the specification cover?
The figures below are the trade specification ranges ODM Tea quotes against for white tea under HS 0902.20, not a per-lot guarantee. Where a certificate of analysis is part of the contract, the specification for a shipment is issued with it; where testing is included in the quotation, the residue report is tested against the destination standard rather than the origin standard.
- Moisture
- ≤ 7.0% (loose leaf, specified per contract)
- Processing
- Withered, dried — no rolling, no fixation
- Harvest window
- Spring pluck for Yin Zhen and Bai Mu Dan; later flushes for Shou Mei
- Formats
- Loose leaf; compressed cake 100 g / 300 g / 350 g
- Shelf life
- Can be aged when kept dry, sealed and odour-free; best-before date set per contract
Which markets buy this?
White Tea ships principally to Russia, United States, Japan. Chinese tea volume into Russia fell 19.2% to 15.9 million kg year-to-date, with the mix at 68% green and 14% specialty.
Russia
Chinese tea volume into Russia fell 19.2% year-to-date in 2025, by an industry count, with green tea at 68% of the mix.
United States
Seventh by value on about a ninth of Morocco's volume — grade, not tonnage, sets the price.
Japan
Among the strictest residue regimes of any major buyer, and with ASEAN a main destination for Fujian's tea exports.
Frequently asked
What white tea grades does ODM Tea export?
ODM Tea exports four Fujian white tea grades — Bai Hao Yin Zhen, Bai Mu Dan, Gong Mei and Shou Mei — from Fuding in Ningde and Zhenghe in Nanping, Fujian. White tea is withered and dried without rolling or fixation, so grade is set almost entirely by plucking standard. White tea is the category where plucking standard, not processing, sets the grade — which is why the grade ladder is worth reading before ordering.
What moisture specification applies to white tea?
≤ 7.0% (loose leaf, specified per contract). Moisture is one of the main factors in how long tea keeps, alongside the pack and storage, and it is the first line on a certificate of analysis.
Which HS heading does white tea ship under?
0902.20. Heading 0902 splits tea by fermentation and by packing size: immediate packings of 3 kg or less move green and white tea to 0902.10, and oolong and black tea to 0902.30.
Which markets buy white tea?
Russia, United States, Japan. Chinese tea volume into Russia fell 19.2% to 15.9 million kg year-to-date, with the mix at 68% green and 14% specialty.
How should white tea be stored?
Sealed, dry, cool, dark and away from odours — white tea picks up smells easily. Loose Bai Hao Yin Zhen and Bai Mu Dan are best kept airtight; pressed cakes kept for ageing need stable, dry storage with no strong smells nearby. Humidity is the main risk.
Can white tea go bad?
Yes. White tea can be aged, but only while it stays dry; tea that has taken on moisture, smells musty or shows mould has gone bad and should be thrown away. Fresh-style white tea also loses its delicate aroma over time, so age changes the flavour rather than guaranteeing better tea.
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