Shortage of water won't dilute attraction of famed Longjing tea

The price of Longjing tea, a national beverage of China, will not rise significantly despite a drought last summer because of measures taken by local farmers and the cut in government spending on unnecessary items, said industry insiders.

Longjing tea, also known as Dragon Well tea, from the West Lake area in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang province, is a famous variety of green tea and has been a favorite drink for generations of Chinese.

Last year, the price of high-quality Longjing tea, the leaves of which are picked before early April, rose 15 percent year-on-year to 9,300 yuan ($1,500) a kilogram, making it the sixth consecutive year its price had risen, according to the Hangzhou municipal office of agriculture and rural work.