I wouldn't be too quick to attribute integrity to tea middlemen. Puer
is really popular right now, and I think TGY, which previously was, as
I understand it, commanding the higher prices, is falling out of favor
a bit with the Chinese nouveau riche and those with money in HK and
Singapore.

Michael Plant wrote:
> snip
>
> > Many people tell me that living in Taiwan is leaps and bounds better
> > than living in China, that's for sure. As for Good TGY this year, you
> > are going to have to wait until the Autumn pick and hope for the best.
> > Both spring picks this year yielded very little good tea. The highest
> > grade is going around 800RMB which is 300-400 shy from the best grade
> > last year...what basically means that this year's highest grade dropped
> > a whole class.
> >
> > Anyway, autumn is right around the corner.
>
> What's really interesting about what you report is that they dropped the
> price because the leaf was less good. In the happy world of Pu'erh,
> I'm given to understand, the quality can fall through the floor, but the
> proce will forever rise. No price drops reflecting poor quality leaf to be
> seen. Sounds as though with TGY there's some integrity somewhere.
>
> Michael