GUIYANG — Southwest China's Guizhou province saw a 24.1 percent increase in tea export in the first quarter of this year, local authorities said.

According to the Guiyang customs, tea from the province with a value of 22.36 million yuan (about $3.16 million) was exported over the period.

The tea industry has become one of the major industries in 43 counties in the province. A total of 3,613 metric tons of tea worth $120 million was exported to 23 countries and regions worldwide in the first 11 months of 2019.