誰來採茶？鹿谷及周邊中高海拔茶區的產業發展（1970-2010s）

Who Picks the Tea? Tea Industry Development in Lugu and Adjacent Mid- to High-Elevation Regions, 1970s-2010s

本文以鹿谷與周邊中高海拔的茶區為例，結合官方檔案、比賽評審報告與口述歷史，探討1970年代以來茶農為因應地形、茶園擴張、品質認知及勞動力供給轉型，而調整茶菁採摘的勞動調度機制，形塑地方茶業的生產模式與經營策略，說明手工採摘與產業發展之間的互動關係。隨著茶葉由出口導向轉向內需市場，飲茶風氣日盛，凍頂茶成為高級茶，手工採摘更成為其品質標誌。為因應市場偏好，茶農普遍栽培青心烏龍，致使採收期集中，加劇短期勞動力缺口。在此背景下，茶農選擇手採以維持品質與形象，卻也因茶園擴張與本地勞動力不足，勞力來源從傳統的換工機制轉向外僱採茶班。傳統換工蘊含人際關係所形成的非正式約束與品質規範，有助維持採摘水準；外僱工依斤計酬，為求多摘多得，品質往往良莠不一，易致茶菁受損，使茶農在效率與品質間陷入兩難。本文指出，除了製茶技術與比賽制度外，茶菁的採摘時機、標準與人力調度，亦是左右製程穩定與風味的關鍵。在回應市場期待與應對勞動條件變遷的過程中，茶農展現持續調整的能動性，手採既成為品質保證，卻也成為限制其彈性轉型的結構性制約。本文主張，應跳脫「機械化即取代手工」線性假設，轉而從地形條件、品質規範與市場認知的互動中，理解農民如何在多重限制下所做出的策略選擇。

This study examines how tea farmers in Lugu and surrounding mid- to high-elevation tea-growing regions in Taiwan have reorganized labor for tea leaf plucking since the 1970s. Drawing on official archives, tea competition evaluation reports, and oral histories, it shows how adjustments were made in response to terrain constraints, plantation expansion, evolving quality perceptions, and changes in labor supply, thereby shaping local production models and management strategies. The analysis highlights the dynamic relationship between hand-picking practices and tea industry development.
As Taiwan’s tea sector shifted from an export-oriented model to one driven by domestic consumption, tea drinking became more widespread, and Dong Ding tea emerged as a premium product. Hand-picking consequently became a key marker of quality. To meet market preferences, farmers widely adopted the Qingxin Oolong cultivar, leading to highly concentrated harvesting periods and intensifying short-term labor shortages. Under these conditions, farmers continued to rely on hand-picking to preserve product quality and reputation. Meanwhile, the expansion of tea plantations and the insufficiency of local labor prompted a shift from traditional mutual-aid arrangements to the hiring of professional teapicking crews.
Traditional labor exchange arrangements relied on informal, relationship-based constraints and shared quality norms to ensure consistent plucking standards. In contrast, hired laborers, typically paid by weight, were incentivized to maximize output, often resulting in uneven quality and potential damage to tea leaves. This created a persistent tension between efficiency and quality. The study argues that, beyond processing techniques and competition systems, the organization, timing, and standards of tea plucking are crucial factors influencing production stability and flavor outcomes.
In responding to market expectations and changing labor conditions, tea farmers demonstrated considerable adaptive agency. While hand-picking functioned as a guarantee of quality, it also became a structural constraint limiting production flexibility. This study challenges the linear assumption that mechanization necessarily replaces manual labor, and instead emphasizes farmers’strategic decision-making within the interplay of terrain conditions, quality norms, and market expectations.